Wash Away My Colors
by PKWolf014
Summary: (COMPLETE!) Two months after their abrupt disappearance, Hiccup and Toothless suddenly crash on Berk again; with more questions than answers Berk and the riders attempt to help the untrusting duo come back from the ghost shells of themselves they've become.
1. Chapter 1: Escape

**A/N: Hello! XD this story just popped into my head and I was like hmmm. Yes, alright. I'm sorry that this chapters rushed and well iffy, I'm tired and a little to much so to check over it. Sorry.**

 **Tijinks (Ta-jink-s-)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any grammer/spelling errors**

 **Rated for a darker feel and some violence in later chapters. Language is all K.**

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Chapter One: Escape 

_Hiccup_ ,

It beats painfully in my ribcage. My breathing is slow and aches but my heart flutters around like a little bird searching desperately for a way out of it's cage. I, too am trying to escape. My wings however are clipped, bloodied and broken and I have little means of flying now.

 _Flutter, flutter, flutter._

It hurts sometimes, the beating of my heart. But I'm okay. I tell myself that over and over like mantra. Because, I guess some part of me is afraid that if I stop -even for a second- I'll drown in all the reasons I'm not.

To think my biggest worry used to be what my next move in Maces and Talons would be is laughable now. Pathetic, cute almost. Life was so simple then, so easy, light. I always felt some sort of control, I knew that as long as the riders, Toothless and I were together we'd be fine. But, as time has passed here I've come to the conclusion that I, am a gullible idiot.

The cell is dark, damp and smells oddly of rotting feet.

There's little to no sound beyond the grunt or groan of another prisoner and the only light comes from torches every ten feet or so and well they do light up the passage, they fail to share their warmth.

The temperature rests usually between freezing cold or welcoming frostbite. I haven't felt properly warm in the last...however long it's been. I'm not sure, but I've been here for too long. Far to long. I used to know, count the days as they passed but after fifteen I lost count. Or maybe it was because I started passing out more-I'm not sure.

Twice a day, a guard will stroll past and throw food at lucky prisoners, some, like me usually go days before the "luck" is thrown at their face. Quite literally. There isn't any guards that patrol the halls they know that their prisoners are too weak to make an escape anyway. I guess that's the whole point of tossing the food towards the lucky ones. Usually, from what I understand the hallways are empty along with the outer corridors surrounding it.

My position is uncomfortable, but I don't make a move to change it. My cell is only about six feet in every direction and I can't lay down perfectly straight without straining something. Not that I would anyway, in order to survive the nights here it's almost law that people curl in on themselves. Even then, it doesn't stop the shivers that usually prevent sleep. I haven't felt warm, or properly rested in...who knows how long.

My bare foot is pressed up against the cold stone but I can't bring my wandering mind to care about the temperature. My other leg or what's left of it is laying limply beside it. My peg leg is with my captors and when they come to get me I get it back only long enough for them to fulfill whatever purpose they want at the moment.

A heaved breath escapes my thin chest, rattling my ribcage and the bird fluttering around squeals slightly. I tilt my head back against the wall letting my bangs fall against my nose. My auburn hair is dirty and have clumped together in various areas I'm too exhausted to deal with. My brain is sluggish but I can still manage to muster up annoyance as the hair covers my eyes. Not like it's particularly bright to begin with but the bangs give me blind spots I'd rather not deal with.

It's been a few days since my captors last visit and I know they'll be coming soon; the thought causes heavy dread to settle in my chest. This island makes Viggo, Ryker- even Alvin and Dagur back in their villain days- look like glitter covered rainbows that all have pet chickens.

Unlike Viggo, however, they aren't trying to win some game they are more like a terrible mixture between Dagur and Alvin -Not like either of them were very much fun to in the first place -They wanted a Night Fury and saw it as an open bonus that they got a _free_ "dragon conquer" in the process. Ha. I've tried to stop them, put a damper in their plans and their punishments have gotten more brutal.

My ribs still ache from the last one. The memory weasels into my head despite my silent protests haunting behind my eyes. I rip them open before it can settle behind the lids. I'd managed to calm a rather aggressive flock down and my captor had demanded I order them to kill an older, nearly starved to death dragon. I'd refused and the leader had kicked my chest a few times before throwing me out into the streets.

I'd been to weak and exhausted to move and fell asleep. When I woke up, robbers had nicked things off of me-Including my boot and shoulder guards - I'd been relocated and thrown back in the cell.

I need to get out of here. I have to get to Toothless then go...where? Berk must've thrown a party that I'm gone and the riders have probably moved back there without me forcing them to stay in the "Great Beyond". I really am an idiot.

I sigh through my teeth and rest my hands over my chest before idly running one through my hair. My fingers rest against the dirty falling out braids...Astrid wove into my hair. I'm not sure if I should be concerned or angry that her name was hard to pull up.

I've been here for too long.

The cell and I have been friends for more time than I can count. There's several ruins carved into one of the walls and those also offer comfort. Someone was here before me I haven't been the only person to suffer in here.

My thoughts drift to Toothless. I haven't seen him in nearly a week maybe more and worry is swirling through my stomach making it hard to think straight. I don't know where he is or what happened to him I just hope to every good thing in this world he's still alive.

My captors, the Tijikes wanted Toothless and had shot us down the second they saw us. They, like Dagur used to want to ride Toothless, use him for destruction. They're trying to break him and from the last time I saw him, it looks like it's working.

I'm scared. I want to curl into a ball and cry until this over. Berk isn't coming for me and Toothless. No one is. We're on our own. I haven't felt this much hopelessness since before the Red Death and I bared the title of "Useless".

But were not staying here. For the sake of Toothless sanity as well as mine I'm getting us out of here. After laying in between the alley for a couple of hours I managed to get a basic understanding of the villages layout. I've attempted to get to Toothless more than once but the results haven't been pretty. Mostly because I have no idea where he was until now.

My bruised ribs grown in protest as I pull away from the wall and lean forward, footsteps catching my attention. There's at least three pairs if I'm hearing right.

Maybe it's the Tijikes finally here to take me to the chief, Jink. They'll have my peg. I'm going to escape. I narrow my eyes firmly and look up as the footsteps come to a halt. Throwing my bangs from my face to see clearly.

One man is holding a torch, the second a sword and the third throws my peg leg into the cell. I would've laughed with relief but I can't. Not in front of them. I grit my teeth and move my bony hand forward wrapping my fingers around the metal a holding it like the precious contraption that it is. Oh, I've missed you I assure the prosthetic silently.

I slip peg over my stump readjusting the rope over the wood before hearing the cell door creak open. Two of the three men walk in, "Get up, runt." The first commands waving his sword dangerously close to my nose.

I offer him an irritated look before pressing my fingers against the walls and shoving myself into a standing position. My legs wobble threatening to give out but I force myself to remain standing. "Ah, Jink's got quite a sight for ya' to see, boy." The second says smugly.

Good, I love seeing things. I remain quiet looking at the sword in the first man's grip. Gritting my teeth and eyeing it for another second I lift my prosthetic up and kick the man in the chest. He yelps and stumbles back as the sword flies from their grip.

I catch it in one hand breaking into a run with the other. "Hey!" The Tijikes shout at my back. Their fingers brush against my clothing but don't stop tearing down the cell block.

I'm going to make it, I'm going to make it. I have to make it. I will. The prison cell door comes quickly and I shove it shut behind myself quickly sliding the sword over the locks.

I don't look back as I continue running hardly noticing the blurring colors swimming past my vision. Toothless is close, I can sense it somehow I just know. I've never been to his cell only seeing him when the Night Fury isn't being as cooperative as Jink wants and he has to use me as...persuasion.

 _Focus._

 _Keep running, keep running, keep running._

After avoiding several guards I reach a cell block filled with empty cages. They look big enough to hold dragons. Panting, I move forward through the fell block trying desperately to quiet my loud breathing.

There's nothing here! It's empty cells, empty empty, empty-wait. There's a dark patch towards the back of one of the cells and I move forward towards it. A head lifts a pair of very familiar green eyes opening. Toothless.

He's alive! Yes! I didn't think that the Tijikes really would kill him it's just...

Toothless hisses angrily and I lift up a hand, "Too...th...le..sss..." I whisper. My voice is hoarse and painful to use but I let the word fall out nonetheless. The growls stop and the Night Fury moves forward as close to the cage bars as he can. I rest a hand on his smooth scales a calm rushing through me.

I slip the lock up on the cell door -for some reason the Tijikes refuse to use keys and locks- and pull it open. Toothless shoves against my chest and lets out a happy purr. I wrap my arms around his head gripping the mussel for a moment before sliding it off of his mouth. Shouts ring down the corridor and I look at Toothless.

The Night Fury jerks his head towards his back where the saddle is still resting and I scramble on as Tijikes break into the room. "There 'e is! Don't let 'em get away!" A man commands.

My prosthetic slides into place subconsciously and Toothless growls, his back arching upwards the familiar yet distant sound of his plasma blast ringing up. Toothless twists around and blasts the plasma at the wall and leaps through it. I squeeze my eyes shut as smoke bellows into the room and Toothless moves forward.

I offer no complaint, clicking back his tailfin and ducking in close to his neck as Toothless leaps into the air throwing his wings out. His flight is wobbly and I grit my teeth, ripping my eyes open to look back at the tailfin. It's working fine so why is- Toothless is re-adjusting to the air. This is your fault, Hiccup. You caused this. If not for you he'd still be flying all on his own. Quiet.

Toothless picks up speed quickly skimming over the Tijikes heads and towards the outer defenses. Arrows fly up towards us and Toothless jerks out of the way of dozens before quickly sailing over the walls towards the ocean.

We're free.

After weeks of trying to learn Toothless's location we're finally leaving. I close my eyes releasing a relieved breath as I lean into Toothless's neck, letting him know I'm here.

Maybe I'm still dreaming some distant hallucination in my cell. But the little fluttering bird in my ribcage says otherwise. Toothless's speed gradually slows after time and my exhausted muscles give into defeat. I never slept very well or ever on Tijike. I'm more than a little tired.

I rub my hand across Toothless's head making sure -childish or not- that he hasn't left me. No, he's still there. Alive.

After a long time of struggling to stay awake but every sense within me on high alert, I spot two familiar statues. Huh. It takes nearly a full minute before I recognize it: Berk territory markers.

I squeeze my eyes shut as Toothless himself seems to tense. Where else do we have to go? We'll be fine. We can always hide out in the cove for a few days before heading out.

My heart flutters in my ribcage again begging to be free. To escape. To breathe.

 _Flutter, flutter, flutter._

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 **Authors Note: Yep, that ending felt abrupt. Sorry, again. Anyway, this story is going to be mostly Hiccup and Toothless based told from their POV's but Hiccstrid and other stuff should weasel it's way in here. I dont have everything planned out yet so the next chapter could take a few days. ;)**

 **If you wanna leave a review, it's be welcome I'd not that's totally cool. XD**


	2. Chapter 2: Astrid

**A/N: Wow. Thanks for your support guys! You are amazing I'm so gonna shout outs next chapter! XD**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors.**

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Chapter 2: Astrid

 _Toothless,_

I would be lying to say that I'm not edgy, nervous or fidgety. They match my mood description fairly well, actually. My wing muscles ache as I pulse them one more time in attempt to keep us above air. Berk is in sighting distance but part of me doesn't want to go to the island.

What if they hurt Hiccup again? What if they won't let me see him? What if-Toothless you're being ridiculous this is...Berk. But still...

Hiccup lets out a shaky breath and I turn my head looking back at him. He gives me a tight painfully ghost smile. His eyes hold tired and hurt but his demeanor suggests something akin to determination. For what I have no idea.

I grit my teeth and turn my head looking back at the island steadily growing bigger. We're coming in from the back. Good. I dont want to deal will people right now. I angle my wings down so we gradually start to descend the destination I have in mind growing bigger.

The cove.

I land and my exhausted muscles cry out in relief. Hiccup groans and collapses against my neck. "Its over." He whispers his voice barely audible to my ears. "Its finally over."

Is it?

I'm not as sure.

Hiccup slides from off of my neck and collapses on his knees not even attempting to stand. I murmur quietly towards his back and ruffle his hair with my breath. He turns to look back at me, expressionless.

I move forward and curl around him and after a moment, he leans his back against my side twitching slightly and inhaling sharply. I immediately snap my attention towards him, his face is pale..well paler than usual and his fingers are twitching towards his back but he makes no move to touch it.

Attempting to hide his pain. _Again_.

How many times do we have to play this game?

I rest my head down next to him but neither one of us close our eyes. I guess part of me is afraid that when I do wake up this will all have been a dream. I can't keep doing through that anymore. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done.

Hiccup's fingers curl around the dirt slightly and I watch it with slight interest. His grip relaxes then tightens but he never releases it. I stare at his face trying to spot any ideas that will tell me what's going in inside his head. Probably thinking about that island. Like me. I can't get my brain off of it.

" _He fears you, dragon. I don't. We'd make such a team, wouldn't we?"_

Hiccup isn't afraid of me-at least, I keep trying to mantra that. A pair of footsteps catches my attention and my ears perk upwards as I focus on the sound. Two pairs.

Fear wraps around me like a cold blanket and I wrap my tail around Hiccup's form slowly lifting a wing over him as well as I get to my feet trying to determine where they're coming from. They always did that. Toy with me. Always there, in the shadows taunting and laughing before they dragged Hiccup's body from me promising me they if I summited, his punishments would stop.

I wanted to. I had to make it stop. But Hiccup begged me not to.

I'm not letting that happen again. _Ever._

The footsteps are getting louder and Hiccup shifts poking his head out from under my wing. "What is it?" He whispers. None of your concern. _Do. Not. Move._

Hiccup shifts forward and I growl in irritation. Of course he's going to look, he's Hiccup. What was I thinking?

The footsteps get louder before I can pick out a voice. "I don't know, I don't think they're out there anymore. We're too late." Female, soft and...stepping into the cove.

Astrid and Stormfly step into view and Hiccup's breath catches in his throat. Astrid's angry but sad. Her axe is in her hands and her knuckles are white from the death grip. Neither dragon or human has spotted us yet.

"Where are you? What happened to world without you in it?!" She suddenly shouts at the cove walls. "UGH!" She throws her axe forward and I jerk back slightly, pulling Hiccup with me as the edge of the blade lands inches from my nose.

Astrid turns and her gaze lands on me her jaw dropping in shock. "Oh great Odin's ghost." She breathes, looking like she's seeing a ghost. "Toothless?"

She moves forward hesitantly, Stormfly following after her quietly. She approaches me similar to how she would a wild dragon and I hiss through my teeth slightly. Hiccup rests a hand on my nose and I watch him for half a second, startled. How did he manage to worm his way out without me noticing?

Hiccup's hand doesn't move, quietly asking me to calm down. I frown but stop growling. Astrid freezes as her gaze lands on Hiccup. There's a long silence before her lips part to form a single sentence."You were dead."

Hiccup half laughs, but its painfully fake. Astrid throws herself at him wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. I tense slightly and watch them as Hiccup's spine goes rigid before he slowly hugs her back. Astrid pulls back and her expression hardens before she punches him on the arm.

Hiccup yelps and nearly collapses from the force and I catch him without even thinking about it. "That's for scaring me." She says angrily before grabbing his shirt and tugging him towards her for a small quick peck on the lips."And that's for being okay."

Hiccup looks up at her, shaking his head slightly. Then, Astrid seems to actually look at him, her lips purse tightly scanning the injuries I already know of before turning her attention towards me.

"You look terrible." She states and Hiccup raises his eyebrow slightly. As if stating silently, _'Thank you for summing that up.'_

Astrid rolls her eyes and waves Stormfly towards her. "Sit. Both of you." She commands and Hiccup stands for a moment before settling down next to me. I lay down wrapping my body around his. Astrid tosses a blanket towards Hiccup before pulling out a roll of bandages turning back to us.

"Where have you been?" She demands sitting down in front of Hiccup scanning him again. Probably trying to debate where the worst injury is. Hiccup shrugs slightly, wincing. "Never mind, where does it hurt most?"

He shrugs, again. Astrid raises an eyebrow.

"Fine. Stay here, I'm gonna go get your dad and-" Astrid makes a move to stand but Hiccup grabs her hand with such quick reflexes, I'm slightly impressed.

"Don't." Hiccup says his voice barely above a whisper but his eyes are pleading. Astrid's eyebrows shoot up.

"But-" she starts to protest.

"Please." Hiccup begs. Astrid pauses before sitting back down.

"What happened? Please tell me something Hiccup!" Astrid pleads. Hiccup releases her hand and looks back at me, pale, tired and slightly fearful. As if talking about it will bring it back to life.

Hiccup's fist clenches before he releases a slow breath returning his gaze to her. "I can't." He whispers.

"You can't or you wont?"

Hiccup's expression closes off. All chances she had of getting information are gone now. Astrid sighs guilt crossing over her features.

"Sorry, I-" Astrid stops mid sentence. "I wont get your dad right now, but we're going to him tomorrow-understand?" She demands.

Hiccup frowns but sighs nodding slightly. "You guys look ready to crash." She says softly. "Go to sleep," she prompts. I shake my head firmly as Hiccup mirrors me. "Not a request."

Hiccup mumbles something under his breath I don't catch before settling down next to my side resting his head on his elbow. I rest my head down next to his wrapping my tail around his thin frame. Hiccup, after a moment grabs the blanket and curls in it squeezing his eyes shut.

Astrid and Stormfly talk quietly to each other, (though Astrid can't understand her dragon) and despite my best efforts, my eyelids start to close. No! I can't fall asleep! What if when I wake up, Hiccup is gone again and this was just a cruel dream?

The thoughts bounce around my head for a while before I eyes slip shut and sleep claims my exhausted body.

000o000

"...Yeah, they do look terrible."

"Like they're knocking on deaths door but he refuses to answer-he's at lunch or something."

"Will you two muttonheads please be quiet!? You're not helping any."

"So you found them like this, Astrid? You're not sure how long they've been here?"

"Yup. He refused to speak about what happened. I was hoping he's be more talkative when he woke up."

"Don't count on it, death is sure to finish his sandwich soon and come to claim them."

" _Tuffnut_!"

"What? He could be a fast sandwich eater!"

I slowly work my way back into consciousness building up the willpower to open my eyes. I dont want to face the guards again or face Jink's "training"-Wait. Memories crash inside my head abruptly and I jerk to my feet ripping open my eyes and staring around myself. Hiccup yelps slightly and I glance at him guilt sliding through me slightly. His position was thrown off as I lept.

I scan our surroundings. The cove. Berk. We're home. It wasn't a dream. I turn my head slightly trying to locate the source of the voices and spot the riders staring at us.

Hiccup groans and shoves onto one elbow, also apparently trying to determine if it was a dream or not. Then, he tilts his head and opens his eyes all tiredness imminently vanishing as he spots what I did. The riders are quiet for a moment everyone frozen before Astrid moves forward. She looks at me for a moment before leaning down next to Hiccup. "How are you?"

He shrugs.

She sighs slightly, "Well come on, we agreed that you'd see your dad in the morning."

Fear settles in his eyes before he glances at me. Nothing is going to happen. I'll make sure of it. I will. Hiccup struggles to his feet leaning against my neck as he slides the blanket off his shoulders handing it back to Astrid.

She takes it and turns to Stormfly. "Alright guys, lets go!"

And, nearly ten minutes later I land outside the back door of the Haddock household. I'm not facing people right now. Hiccup seems to silently concur with me -he hasn't said anything today yet- and slides off of my back his hands shaking slightly.

I move towards him. He's safe. Nothing else is going to happen. The other riders land behind me and Hiccup releases a deep shaky breath before he grabs the handle to the door and shoves it open.

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 **Author's Note: Sorry for the short chapter, I was trying to find Toothless's voice. I haven't really written from first person in his POV before but Hiccup is another story. I'll try and make the next chapter longer. XD see you in a few days my fellow dragonites!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Father's Love

**Authors Note: *looks down at the ground guilty*. I'm sorry guys. I seriously didn't want the update to take so long but I finally sat down and planned it out and it took a little longer than I planned.**

 **I want all of you to be aware that from this point forward: There is going to be spoilers for RTTE S4. (sorry, but it just works better plot wise. ;))**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any spelling/ grammar errors.**

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 **SHOUT OUTS! :D ( I seriously CAN NOT thank you enough for the support you've given me.)**

 **Crystallion12: XD Yep, Hiccup better proceed with caution and like a big roll of caution tape. ;) Thanks for your review!**

 **Nightfurylov3r: Thank you. ;)**

 **saraj8ne: Thanks! Yep, brace yourself for feels! XD Thanks for your review!**

 **. . : Yeah, I love watching character's react to stuffs too. :) I'm purposefully making it a little bit darker so its easier to track character development/change...if that makes sense. :) Thanks for your review!**

 **snoopykid: Thank you! :D Updated! It only took forever and a half. ;)**

 **Lucys2016: Thanks! :)**

 **Gummybear1178: Yay! That makes me happy that you want to read more. :)**

 **FabinaForever11: Thank you!**

 **TheFuriousNightFury:...I dunno. I'm sort of just letting the characters guide my writing and apparently neither Toothless or Hiccup want to be on Berk. I guess we will see. ;) Thanks for your review!**

 **livinlifeisnice: Updated! :) (cool name by the way)**

 **Windrider340: Yep, experiment away! :) Thanks! I am glad your enjoying this! Thanks for the review!**

 **And to all my other pups, thanks for reading favoriting and following. You guys are AWESOME!**

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Chapter 3: A Father's Love

 _Hiccup_ ,

My fingers freeze on the door knob as memories runs through my head like a haunting melodies.

 _"My d-dad, he'll be here and wipe you all off the face of the planet, with their dragons." "Ha! You think we fear dragons, boy? You've been here for weeks, they're not coming."_

 _"Just train the dragons, runt."_

 _"Stop it! Please stop! You'll kill him!" "Gag him. He can't save his precious dragon anyway."_

 _"Your island is rejoicing that you're gone. You're a runt, child. They'll find a replacement."_

 _"They never were looking for you."_

 _"He's not coming."_

Is...Jink _right?_ Have they been looking for me? Or did I just show up at the right time, I mean, Astrid I would trust was and the other riders but my dad...I don't know anymore. What if he is happy that I went missing? And he'll be disappointed that I came back. Swallowing the sudden lump in my throat I move forward and shove the door with me sudden exhausted pulsing through my limbs. Adrenaline has been pumping through my veins for the last few days and it's finally starting to wear off.

Sighing through my teeth I let weight of the door push the rest of it open and stagger into the room. It looks exactly the way I remember it beyond being slightly more dirty. The fire is roaring in the middle, a table is set towards the side and a large man is sitting in a chair next to the flames.

"There's a front door for a re-" My dad twists around in his seat looking back at me (and Toothless) his jaw falling slightly. His face looks a little more tired than I remember and his eyes have heavy bags, his beard is a mess-even for Viking standards. I watch his expressions carefully. His face changes from irritated and angered to shocked and well...stoic like he'd been backhanded across the face.

 _"...Hiccup?"_ His voice is incredibly small.

I bite my lip and look down at the ground resting a hand on Toothless's head. Wood scrapes across the ground and I look up in surprise as my dad races across the room and wraps his arms around me in a death grip.

My breath escapes me in surprise. "Oh, Hiccup." His voice whispers softly holding me tighter as if he's afraid the moment he leaves I'll disappear into thin air. My muscles tense upwards as his strong arms brush against the injuries received from the Tijikes and a shaky breath leaves my lips.

My dad pulls back, finally, and rests his hands on my shoulders lifting his head up slightly as the door closes behind us. I look back at it. The other riders...will they wait or-no. Astrid said she'd drag me here, not drag me here and stay. She's fully aware that my dad can make me stay put anyway.

Toothless brushes against my hand and I rub my fingers over the top of his rough scales a silence hanging between all three of us. Not exactly awkward, but not comforting either. "You look terrible." Dad states finally and I look up at him, meeting his worried calculating gaze.

"M'sorry." I mutter quietly wrapping my arms over my chest and looking down at the ground again. Ah, such wonderful woodwork. I know this floor well, I've studied it a lot over my lifetime. There's an elegant pattern to the way the bark is weaved together, flowing, always consistent-my dad grabs my chin and gently lifts it so I'm looking at him again.

"No, _I'm sorry_ , son. Sit, I'm going to grab the medical kit." He says and pulls away. I double take.

"No you don't have to-" I start to protest and he turns raising a thick red graying eyebrow. My voice dies in my throat and he gestures towards the table with his left hand as he turns and walks off. Sighing through my teeth, I move forward and sit stiffly on the bench, Toothless plopping down next to my feet. He doesn't close his eyes though.

After about a minute, my dad returns holding rolls of various medical supplies and I look up at him. Bandages. It's been a long _, looong_ time since I've seen any of those. There's an awkward silence in between us for a moment and I look up at him, did I do something wrong? Does he not want to use them on me anymore? I'm not even slightly surprised.

"Hiccup, I don't know what I should tend to. I need you to take off your shirt." I stiffen both with surprise and slight horror. Thor, I do _not_ want him to see my injuries, maybe I can weasel my way out of this-just tell him I'll deal with it myself. My dad kneels next to me, "Please let me help you Hiccup, _please."_

His tone is so pleading it startles me slightly and my fingers move almost by strings to my chest armor slowly peeling the brown leather away from my chest. The red shirt underneath is dirty and an unpleasant sight. Not like I've exactly had a spare change of clothes for the last couple of weeks.

Biting down on my lip I slowly pull up the red fabric, over my head and hold it in my hands before slowly folding it as neatly as physically possible-so I don't have to look at my dad's face. I do, however, still hear his sharp intake of breath and watch Toothless's head raise.

I study my foot, suddenly very interested in the way it looks. "I'm going to kill every single one of-who did this?" My dad's voice is venomous and I look up at him my eyes wide. His face is dark his expression murderous; the bandages in his hand are clutched to a strangling level and I bite my lip heavily.

 _Mum._

The word and I have been intermingled so much recently it's pathetic.

My dad releases a steadying breath, "What happened, Hiccup?"

Mum. Mum, mum, mum!

I purse my lips tightly together. He sighs again. So disappointed.

 _"You must be such a disappointment to him. Look at you, you're a runt not nearly the strong Viking lad I'm sure he wanted!"_

"Can you turn, please, I need to get a closer look at the...damage."

Burns? Cuts? Bruises?

Mum.

I grit my teeth and slowly turn on the bench so my back is facing him. The wall in front of me is how I remember it being. There's a few shields on the walls along with prized weapons-when I was younger there used to be dragon horns and such but after the Red Death they vanished well I was in my coma.

Toothless growls under his breath behind me and I clench my fists, curling them around the wood on the table. "I'm going to do what I can but we should have Gothi look over this." My dad annouces and I hear the sound of a jar being opened.

Great, Gothi. She's an excellent healer but I just don't get the point of looking down someone's throat or poking around their eyes. She often made my leg feel worse when she was checking on how it was healing a few years back.

A cold cream presses onto my back and I gasp flinching and going rigid a pained wheeze leaving my lips. Toothless offers a warning growl and the fingers pull back as if they've been burned by touching my skin. "Sorry." my dad says quickly.

"It's fine." I grit through clenched teeth doing my best to make my voice sound normal but failing drastically.

My dad's fingers rub against the cream again and I flinch but manage to withhold a pained wheeze. I do, however, take a sharp breath. His fingers move rhythmically across the injuries and after some gentle prodding and a few more minutes of trying not to yell out in pain my dad finishes tying off the last of the bandages and stands.

"Wait here a moment." He commands and turns heading up the stairs to my old room and disappearing. I flip around on the bench and look at Toothless. He hasn't shifted his positions much beyond moving closer. I bring my feet up onto the chair cross legged and watch him. His breathing is slow and steady his ears twitching slightly as he listens to sounds I can't pick up. His eyes aren't closed but he's still resting.

Wood creaks and Toothless's ears lift my head following. My dad tosses something at me and I manage to catch it almost subconsciously. It's a shirt a little older than the current ones I wear that are on Dragon's Edge but it's better than nothing. Nodding in thanks, I swing the fabric over my head and happily slide the sleeves over my arms. It's freezing in here! Does anyone know what warmth is anymore?

My dad walks towards us and sits down on the bench next to me. "I thought you were dead." He admits quietly.

I look up at him offering a tight smile. Or an attempt at one, the expression feels weird on my face, foreign. "I'm not."

He looks over at me smiling his eyes lighting up. "I'm glad you're safe, son. I hate to nag but...where were ya'?" He asks softly the smile fading. I share a look with Toothless wrapping my hands around my foot before sighing through my teeth.

Mum.

He's my dad! What's the worst that could happen? They want you to tell him, that's what they want you can't let Tijike win, Hiccup! But-they were thrilled, don't you remember? The very thought of you telling Stoick thrilled Jink. Mum.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before blurting out the word before I can convince myself otherwise. "Tijike."

"Tijike?" My dad repeats, confusion lacing around his words.

"It's near Melody Island. Not very big." I keep my sentence as short as possible, the idea of speaking for longer causing my insides to squirm. Jink didn't like it when I spoke for a long time, he succeeded in accomplishing something no one-not even Viggo managed to do: break my snarky, sassy, sarcastic smart mouth.

Mum.

Mum, mum, mum!

"I've heard of that island before." My dad mutters stroking his beard, "Do you know what the chief's name 's?"

"Jink." I mutter darkly and Toothless's ears lower in distaste. The man is cold and brutal. I think that if we hadn't left when we did, he would've killed us both. He said he was getting tired of our lack of submission. He was tired of Toothless's unbreakable spirit and my sudden mum-ness.

"Jink, as in Jink the Fiendish?"

I offer a sharp nod. Yes. Him.

Instead of bursting into a fit of rage like I half expect him to do, my dad looks over at me sadly, with a slight tinge of pity and moves closer wrapping his arms around me in a hug again. I flinch and he holds me tighter afraid of letting go. "I'm sorry Hiccup, I'm so sorry. I should've looked harder, I should've-"

"What's done is done." I murmur quietly. It's true. What happened isn't something I can change. So breathe. It's fine, you're safe now. In out.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup." my dad mourns again and doesn't let go. I'm not sure how long he holds me like that before he finally pulls away. "You're probably going to sleep with Toothless, right?" He asks and I nod looking towards the dragon curled in a tight ball.

"I'll be in my room, holler if you need anything. Even if it's nothing-okay?" My dad demands and I nod. Be satisfied. He smiles in agreement before standing and walking out of the room. He looks back at me again and I offer a small tight attempted smile and a wave. He disappears into the other room and I slide from off the chair crawling towards Toothless.

He lifts up his head to greet me with a croon and I collapse next to him with a soft groan. Toothless growls slightly and ruffles my hair with his breath before moving next to me and laying his wings over me like a blanket. This is always where I've felt safest, next to Toothless like this and I'm pretty sure it's vice versa for the dragon.

I let out a sigh and release a heavy breath shifting my position to be slightly more comfortable, this floor is ten times better than the one in my cell. Thor, this is pathetic. I'm enjoying floors. Even though Astrid found us in the early morning, when we left the cove, the sun was setting in the distance. I must've slept through the entire day. Jink is probably more than aware that were gone now.

The thought sends a shiver down my spine and I squeeze my eyes shut tightly as Toothless settles next to me, resting his head next to mine. I let out a slow breath before letting my tense muscles relax and sleep claim my tired body.

000o000

"Boy!" The voice cuts me from my thoughts and I lift up my head from where it's resting against my knees looking up at the advancing figure in confusion. Wait? What? I don't understand-how did I-?

I was in my house, with Toothless! Was it just a dream?

A hand grabs me by the throat and drags me from off the floor shoving me against the wall. The back of my head smacks against the stone causing spots to dance in front of my blurring vision. "Your stubbornness wore off on that dragon fine, didn't it?"

"I didn't have to do anything." I quip through my throat bringing my fingers up to struggle against his tightening grip. With a snort of disgust, Jink drops me and kicks my chest.

"Your smart mouth will be the death of you, child. Just give up and tell me how to get that dragon to break." Jink says his tone becoming softer. He leans down next to me and I scowl at him darkly.

"I'd rather die."

Jink fingers a dagger I didn't know he had in hand, "I really don't want to kill you, Hiccup. This will just be easier for all of us if you just slip up, don't mum on me."

I narrow my eyes and curl my fingers tightly into fists, "No, even if I did tell you, you would kill me then wipe out Berk and move onwards to who knows what." I snap. Jink's eyes flash with annoyance and his dark hair falls in front of his deep grey eyes.

"I see."

"Are you sure? You never seem to get this no matter how many times I tell you."

"Silence, child! Your island thinks you're dead anyway, how much would it really hurt to tell me?"

"M-my dad's coming for me. He'll wipe your entire island out with his dragons." I respond with an angry edge. Jink laughs.

"Good, good, you know what, child. You find yourself a terror and send him a note. Go on, I won't stop you." Jink says and steps out of my way gesturing towards the door. My vision is blurry and I look up at him in frustration. I can't walk. I don't have my prosthetic.

Jink lets out a laugh. "You got a phobia of fire?"

I do a double take and look up at him my eyebrows meeting, "I ride a fire-breathing dragon. What do you think?"

"Hmm, we can change that, don't you agree?" Jink says and I shake my head. Fire isn't...is he serious?

Jink whistles and from the outside of the cell someone tosses a blade to him through the bars. My eyes widen as I spot it, glinting orange-red from heat. I know from experience in the forge that touching those is not a pleasant sensation.

Jink moves towards me and shoves the red-hot pain through my abdomen. A scream slips through my throat as pain explodes through my middle, ache, pain, burn, pain, pain, pain, hurt, screaming…

I leap into a sitting position a cold sweat following as I stare around myself in panic for several moments. The room is dark, like my cell. Was the escape all just a dream and I passed out from the stab-Toothless shoves his head against my back and I close my eyes letting out a relieved breath.

It wasn't real.

I'm okay.

Jink isn't here.

Toothless is safe. We're fine.

It's Berk.

Nothing can happen to us here.

I let out a relieved breath and turn looking back at my dragon rubbing the top of his head. Toothless happily curls himself around me tighter watching me with unblinking eyes, letting me know he's here for me. He's not gonna let anything happen to me. And I won't let anything happen to him.

I take in a few more deep breaths trying to draw the line between reality and dreamland in my head. I wasn't stabbed by Jink ever so that was my subconscious playing an evil prank but the blade wasn't new. The rest was a familiar scene. But I don't want to relieve it. I just want a dreamless sleep. Apparently, that's not happening.

I rub the top of Toothless's head again before getting to my feet and watching around the house for a moment. The Night Fury looks up at me in confusion before getting to his feet as well. Stumbling through the dark for a moment limbing, I manage to find the staircase leading up to the loft. I need something familiar right now.

I make it up the steps purposefully skipping over the fifth one (it squeaks worse than my peg leg in rain) and shove open the door to the room. It's pretty much untouched from when I last left it nearly a year ago. Before the Viggo incident started before Tijike. Toothless seeing or sensing I have no other plans to move walks towards the forgotten rock slab and chars it slightly. I cringe at the sight of the flame and pull my gaze away from the NIght Fury moving towards the desk.

I move towards it and pull open a drawer picking spare paper from it and grabbing a pencil from a broken mug and quickly draw a sketch of the symbol that's been bothering me over the last few days. Tijike's. It's a long dragon eye with a sword for the irises.

I let out a frustrated sigh and set the pencil and paper down on the desk turning to where Toothless is.

"One of you won't make it out of this alive."

I bite my lip and move towards Toothless. Even if I can't sleep, I can at least feel better with Toothless. I sit down next to him and bow my head slightly resting a hand against his forehead gently stroking it.

Toothless coos slightly and I shiver slightly the cold once again attacking me. I let out a shaky breath and as I have done so many times before rely on Toothless for comfort against this unwakeable nightmare.


	4. Chapter 4: Trust Is Fragile

**Author's Note: *Guiltily wrings hands together*. Heh. Sorry guys, I uh, did mean to update sooner but I got halfway through this chapter and hated it, then I refused to look at it for several days before revising my entire plan for the beginning. Thanks for your patience, though! YOU ARE AWESOME!**

 **Disclaimer:...This is _Fanfiction._ Ergo, I own nothing. **

**Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Trust Is Fragile

 _Hiccup,_

No matter how exhausted my body is, it's impossible to fall asleep. I'm finally sitting still and can sleep without too much trouble but nope, my brain is insistent that sleeping is the single most worst idea that it's ever come up with. Toothless is sleeping softly beside me, looking more relaxed and content than I've seen him in a while.

My hair is sticking in wild angles but I can't manage to work up enough energy to do something about it. My back is pulsing painfully but I refuse to move away from Toothless. Without the constant cold wall behind me to numb the injuries, they've returned with a full fury reminding me just how displeased they are with my nerves.

Soft footsteps jerk me from my inward cursing and I lift my head up in surprise as Toothless's ears give a single flick. A figure swings through the skylight and I tense leaning closer to Toothless's side and pulling my knees into my chest, trying to become as small as humanly possible.

The figure's feet land on the ground of my room softly and it takes my eyes a moment to recognize them. A axe is strapped to the back of the Viking who has broken into my room.

Astrid.

I'm not sure what I should be feeling. Joy? Irritation? Fear?

Before I get a chance to decide Astrid's sharp hissing whisper cuts through the air, "Hiccup?"

I bite my lip and look at Toothless half wishing he would wake up so I don't have to face this by myself. Gritting my teeth I look up at Astrid, grow up, Hiccup. You don't have to have someone with you all the time.

Astrid moves forward, having spotted the Night Fury happily curled around me. Her blue eyes are alight with electricity as she moves towards me, "I want answers." Always cutting to the point, something I usually like about her but right now it's frustrating. Answers. To what? Settle her own curiosity? I don't want to talk about it, especially not to her. She'd go full Berserk and take Stormfly and wipe the Jink and his psycho tribe from the face of the earth without breaking sweat.

Not that I'm opposed to seeing Jink get the good piece of humble pie awaiting him but I don't want Astrid to get caught and-oh Thor, no, please no. She can't go through what I did.

I can't tell her. _I can't tell anyone!_

"Hiccup." Astrid says her voice slightly covered in a controlled frustration before she slowly leans down infront of me. "Please talk to me. Where were you?"

I release a long breath and close my eyes tightly clenching my fists. "Mum," I murmur quietly not bothering to open my eyes. Jink would use Astrid against me, like Viggo did with the Dragon Eye. I won't let her get hurt.

Astrid releases a heavy breath before I hear her footsteps move away from me as she begins to pace, probably debating how best to get me to crack. Ha. Nope. I am not talking about this to anyone.

Paper shuffles Astrid's footsteps stop, "What's this?" Astrid asks softly and I open my eyes looking at the drawing in her hand. Oh, Thor! Clutched tightly in her fingers is the drawing of the Tijike symbol I drew last night. I new that was a stupid idea! I shouldn't have done anything on it.

"It's uh...um…" my voice suddenly stutters and I scramble for an excuse, "a...dragon eye." I offer slightly and Astrid raises an eyebrow.

"No, it's not. It looks like a tribe symbol. I've never seen it before." She mutters the last part to herself and I snort. I'd be surprised if anyone on Berk has.

"It's not, it's an eye." I insist.

"No, it's not." Astrid bristles, "This has something to do with where you were, doesn't it?"

I open my mouth to answer before snapping it shut and letting out a frustrated breath. What was I thinking when I drew that a few hours ago. Of course she would notice. She's Astrid. Anyone who knew me well enough would've noticed. "It's not anything you should be concerned about." I keep the sentence as short and clipped to the point as humanly possible. Astrid's eyes narrow and I can tell she's coming to the end of her patience line. She want's answers, and she wants them right now.

"I _am_ concerned about it, Hiccup. You have to tell me." She states firmly and I shake my head.

"No, I don't."

Astrid's hand clenches around the yellowing paper before she flips it to look at it again. "Yes, you do." She argues looking back up at me her eyes verging on pleading. Frustration pulses through me and with some rush of determination from who knows where I get to my feet and a wave of pain sings across my entire body. Ignoring it to the best of my ability, I limp towards Astrid and rip the paper from her hands ripping it once, twice, thrice before tossing it to the ground between our feet.

"There, now it's neither of our concern."

"Why won't you talk to me!? Hiccup, you were missing for two months! I'm just worried about you. I want to help." She explains in a frustrated tone raising her hands as she talks. I shake my head slightly. Two months, huh, I didn't think it'd been that long, maybe longer actually. Never ending. Help.

Ha.

So did Jink.

Did he? No, it was all a lie. Maybe she's doing it too. Some part of me highly disagrees with the statement but the more frustrated, thick skin I've been wearing for weeks on end beats me to through this.

"Maybe if you'd actually been searching, you would've found Toothless and me sooner." I retort and fold my arms across my chest. Astrid gawks her jaw falling faster than Toothless at full speed. Her jaw opens and closes reenacting a fish before she clenches her fists.

" _Are you kidding!?_ We tore the Archipelago _apart_ looking for both of you! What do you think we were doing well you two were missing, _throwing a party!?"_ She demands in frustration and I laugh dryly. A couple years ago and they would've. Cheared, even. Not much has changed. They should've. I'm a nuisance, a fragile runt that they feel inclined to protect.

"Yeah, actually."

Astrid's axe swings past my chest suddenly and I leap backwards (even though it wouldn't have even touched me) as she storms forward swinging the weapon back and forth angrily, "Why would we-" she starts in a frustration rant, "Hiccup, we wouldn't h- _I_ wouldn't have-"

"Tell me something, Astrid," I interrupt and lift a hand up towards her as she stops and poke her shoulder a few times in frustration. Something she often does to anyone when she's angry. "If it had been a couple of years ago, before the Red Death, would you have even been the slightest bit concerned?"

Her eyebrows meet in confusion at the question, "...Yes." Her hesitation however, says differently. I shake my head slightly and back up. It's just like Jink told me, fear settles in my stomach along with a whirling emotion of disgust.

"Yeah, I thought so."

"What does that have to do with anything!? Hiccup, you know that we've changed, _I have!_ This isn't you, Hiccup. I _know_ you. You have to tell me what happened." She commands and I throw my hands up into the air in frustration. I can't tell her because I'm trying to protect her, doesn't she get that!? "Just the island, a name-"

"Mum, mum, MUM!"

"This isn't a joke, Hiccup!" Astrid exclaims her eyes narrowing with frustration. I squeeze my eyes shut at her tone resisting the urge to flinch. Angry. His second in command was always angry. She always used the same tone Astrid has now. My mental guards fly up.

"Mum,"

"Why are you incapable of seeing that _I'm trying to help you?"_

Her words cause me to falter. Help. This is Astrid, of course she's trying to help. I take in a deep breath and meet her piercing, beautiful eyes, "I-I'll tell you later, I...just can't tell you right now." I wrap my arms around myself in a hug as Toothless gets to his feet staring at both of us in confusion, with big tired eyes. Can't or _won't_?

I glance at Toothless before returning my gaze to the angry Hofferson in front of me. Her grip around her axe is so tight her knuckles are white. "Later?" She scoffs, "I know what you're trying to do. You don't plan on telling me, ever. Maybe in the next TWENTY SIX MILLION YEARS! OR A MILLANA OR-"

A beefy hand clamps down on her shoulder and I jump slightly, Toothless hissing and Astrid's eyes pop but to her credit, she doesn't jump. I follow the hand to my dad, standing behind Astrid with his eyebrows curved in disapproval. Yes, his eyebrows, I've had full on conversations with them sometimes. They are very expressive.

"Lass," He starts his tone disapproving. "Give him some breathing room. You didn't see what they did to him." Stoick murmurs the last part with a quiet morose tone and Astrid lets out a growl of frustration before she storms past my dad and me and leaps down the stairs, taking them two or three at a time before her footsteps pound across the lower floor and the front door closes with a heavy 'bang'.

Now she's angry. Great, that slims my trust circle down to about one other person, my dad and Gobber. I imagine that the other riders are going to react like her. If she was in your trust circle, Hiccup, why didn't you tell her?

I tighten my grip around my arms and am distantly aware of Toothless distantly brushing against my side. My dad turns back to me, his lips curved into a half smile, "She's quite a spitfire, isn't she?"

I shake my head a sarcastic retort on my lips but I don't voice it. Jink never liked it when I did, and I don't think anyone on Berk does, either. I sigh instead and look back at Toothless who is watching the two of us with wild eyes. She is. But she's so, so much more.

000o000

The next few days pass without anymore excitement, I refuse to leave the house and my dad respects that letting me hide out in the wooden structure. Toothless doesn't leave my side for more than a couple of seconds but I do manage to shove fish down his face more than once. Gothi stops by, and true to her nature makes me feel worse before the medicine starts to work and I'm able to stand up straight again (sort of).

None of the other riders stop by and true to my dad's nature, he forces me to bed rest.

I hate being bedridden.

Always.

My fingers are fidgety and playing with the sword hilt in my hands as I lean against the headboard. Truthfully, I'm getting sick of hiding out, there's a distinct part of me that is enjoying pretending all other human beings don't exist and it's been winning over the last four days but I am done with the bed.

I never even want to look at one again.

The first couple of days of just sitting on a bed, with blankets was amazing. The blanket and I haven't parted much since I found one. Speaking of which, I let my wandering mind refocus on the present and move my left hand up readjusting my position on the blanket. Because I like the blanket, and need the blanket and want the blanket to be my friend.

Toothless is curled at the foot of the bed, sleeping or resting I'm not sure. He looks exhausted and guilt squirms around my insides as I watch him. It's my fault that he's so tired, my fault that we got caught, my fault that we were missing for two months, my fault that he had to go through Jink's methods of "persuasion". My fault that Astrid has for the moment, ditched us.

I bite my lip tightly and drop the hilt of Inferno 2.0 that I was working on trying not to hiss through my teeth as the movement strains the stretched skin on my shoulders. Thor, I _hate fire._

" _We can fix that."_

Jink's haunting words always wrap themselves around me in a tight cord any hope I have of getting free of them is lost. Inferno 2.0 sputters suddenly and I yelp in surprise as the springs I'd been trying to work with me for the last couple of hours shoot into gear and the blade, (not of fire, thankfully) spits out.

Toothless leaps to his feet his eyes narrowed to slits and a plasma blast building up in the back of his throat. I lower my hands covering my face and lift them towards Toothless from my cross legged position. "Toothless, bud, it's fine!" I assure and he scans around us for several moments. "It just malfunctioned." I say and grab the hilt of Inferno 2.0 and lift the blade up for him to look at.

Toothless moves forward, his pupils slowly widening but his tense stance doesn't waver. I stare at him, then look down at my own frozen muscles before raising my hands up, "This is stupid." I groan in frustration and toss the blade to the side, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I distantly note that the sword retracted back into place but my main focus is inward willing myself to leave the room.

 _Nothing is going to happen_.

I repeat the phrase several times before getting to my feet and move forward taking in several calming breaths. Toothless follows after me, looking slightly curious but at the same time still wary. I shake my head and shove open the door to my room stepping down the steps and wincing slightly as my feet hit the floor. I swallow my grimace and trek my way down the wooden steps before pausing and looking at my feet.

I still haven't tracked down a replacement for my stolen boot. Of course, I haven't been looking for one but I doubt there's one around here. Dragon's Edge currently holds all the important possessions, like shoes and most of the spare clothes. Meh, I'll find something later.

I work my way across the room and shove open the door to outside before I chicken out. Toothless, ever present, pokes his head out and stares at the island. It's nearing winter and the first snow will be in a couple of weeks, next week and a few days earliest. I glance at my dragon before turning my gaze to the Great Hall.

That's where everyone should be...including Astrid. I want to apologize for...what? Not trusting her? I clench my fists digging my nails deeply into my palms, a habit I developed a few years ago, my palms are littered with little half moon scars from when I drew blood.

I release a breath before squaring my shoulders and moving towards the Great Hall barely paying any attention to my uneven steps and the feeling of stone under my bare foot. Toothless moves next to my side looking every bit like he wants to force me onto his back and keep me permanently tied there.

"C'mon, bud." I whisper and rest a hand on his neck looking towards the Hall. My insides squirm but I've been hiding for long enough. I need to grow up and face them some day. I...just hope they don't demand answers like Astrid did. I'm not ready...I don't I'm ever going to be.

It's okay. Breathe. Be brave.

After a few minutes of inner battle we make it to the doors. Gritting my teeth and glancing at my other half again I shove the wooden doors open and take a step inside. A blast of heat smacks me in the face as soon as I take the first step. Followed closely by a strong smell of chicken. Dinner. I think.

I've sort of nibbled on the food my dad shoves at my face but I haven't really eaten a meal in...a while. Shrugging slightly I move into the room Toothless following after me and keeping close to my side incase my feet decide they want to rebel and test gravity's true hold upon them. All conversation in the large space complete and utterly stops.

Every pair of eyes turns from their tables to look at me and Toothless and gawk. The attention makes my insides squirm uncomfortably. Why are they staring? Do they have to stare? Is something wrong? Do they not want me here? Should I leave? Why am I here? Why did I have to leave the safety of my room? What if they have decided they like Berk better without me?

The panic builds up in my chest like a fluttering bird and my nails dig deeper into my skin. "Hiccup!" The voice rips me from my staring and I look up in surprise as Snotlout, Snotlout happily strides towards me his arms open. How did I miss him? He and the riders are sitting on a table towards the left of the doors. The chatting starts up again, broken by Snotlout's walking- and a few nasty glares from the other riders- but it's still uneasy.

I'm torn away from my thoughts as Snotlout's arms wrap around me in a bone cracking hug. I wince pain rippling through my injuries. We may be cousins, but Snotlout and I have never really gotten along like family. More so of distant enemies that have to work together. Snotlout pulls back his eyes scan over me as if taking a closer look at he squints, "You look terrible." He decides finally. I shrug from his grip and run a hand through my messy hair trying to calm my bangs before giving up and looking at him.

Without giving me a chance to respond, Snotlout swings a hand around my shoulders and I wince before he leads, half drags me towards the table he was sitting on a few minutes ago.

Happily humming he sits on the bench and I sit down stiffly at the end next to him. The twins are sitting across from me, then Astrid with Snotlout, Fishlegs and myself on the same bench. Silence falls over the table and I glance at Astrid. Her expression portrays nothing on what she's thinking but she is looking at me. Is that a good or bad sign?

Snotlout's behaviour was weird but everyone else seems to be fine. Tuffnut and Ruffnut are trying their best not to stare but their attempts are failing and Fishlegs keeps shuffling through his dragon cards but not really looking at them. It's like I'm some rare artifact that they haven't seen. Ever. Astrid looks away, finally returning to slowly eating the food in front of her.

"Hey H." Tuffnut says and I nod in greeting. Tuffnut leaps to his feet elbowing Ruffnut's shoulder. She yelps and looks up at him, "Let's go grab some food, you want anything?" He looks at me his usually careless expression studying me with a calculating gaze.

Thor, do they have to stare at me!?

I give a stiff shake of my head but glance back at Toothless, "can you grab fish for Toothless?"

"Yes, sir! Fish for T. Alright, c'mon sis."

000o000

A couple of hours pass without much action, everyone talks around me before eventually heading to bed. After about four hours, Stoick and Gobber are only other Vikings beyond me and Astrid in the Great Hall. As soon as the last rider (Fishlegs) leaves the table, Astrid slides over so she's in front of me. Her expression is conflicted before she lets out a breath, "You okay?"

No. Not at all. I want to scream, to break something but I do anything about it. I nod. Yup. Chipper. Never been better _. I AM GREAT!_

Astrid sighs and her teeth play with her lip for a moment. "About a few nights ago…" She trails off. Not like she needs to finish. We both know what she's talking about. But I...I'm still not going to tell her. I have to keep her safe, even if this is the only way.

"It's fine." I assure. It's not the first time someone has yelled at me. Won't be the last either.

"No, it's not." Astrid shakes her head, "But Hiccup, why won't you talk to me?"

Questions. So. Many. Questions. Why? Why won't I tell anyone?

 _"Yes, I'm sure they're coming. When they get here, you explain everything patiently to them."_ Jink's second in command voice echoes in my head and I grit my teeth. So many mind games.

I don't know who to trust anymore.

"I...don't know." I say quietly and look up at her, silently begging with her be patient with me. Her eyebrows lower.

"I...don't understand. Don't you trust me, Hiccup?" Her voice is small and I look up at her in horror. Please not that question, anything but _that_ question. I don't know! I DON'T KNOW! I squeeze my eyes shut and look down at my hands folded across my chest. I don't want to see her expression, I want to curl up in a ball and hide until this passes.

Astrid takes in a sharp breath and my eyes flicker up towards her. She looks like she's been backhanded across the face. She shakes her head softly before she stands and without a word leaves the table. I watch her walk across the Great Hall and shut the door behind her. She didn't yell. She didn't scream, she didn't deny it or beg me to trust her again but her face was enough to make me wish I _had_ lied and said yes.


	5. Chapter 5: The Truth Slips Out

**Author's Note: :D Hello pups! :) Good whatever time of the day it is for you. This chapters been sitting halfway done for awhile. I am like, way to lazy to check for grammar /spelling errors right now. But so far, this is my favorite chapter. ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any grammer/spelling errors!**

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Chapter 5: The Truth Comes Out

 _Toothless,_

My ears flicker upwards as the sound of voices draws me from sleep. My shoulders and pretty much everywhere hurts and I can feel the scabs trying to work quickly and repair the damage. It isn't dulling the pain, however, and I almost wish it would. But that's not going to happen any time soon.

In out. _Breathe._

I take in a few shaky breaths but refuse to open my eyes and lift my ears up slowly to get a better grasp on what's being said. There's footsteps coming down the hallway about three or four people, maybe they're dragging another dragon into the cells. They do that about twice a week; pulling another winged reptile into their webs of deceit and destruction.

My brain is slightly foggy and I can't focus as much as I should be but I can get enough to realize that there's an odd set of steps walking across the ground like one is wearing a boot with metal on the bottom and scraping it across the ground. My eyes snap open with realization as the key is shoved into the lock.

Hiccup.

"Yup, like I was sayin' Chief, haven't seen him move for days-do you think he's dead?" The voice has a slight squeak to it like the holder isn't sure what they're saying. A deeper voice snorts.

"I guess we'll see; won't we? Stand up, child." Fear wraps around me like a cold blanket and I back up as much as I'm able too. Jink. The door is thrown open, light flooding into the small dark room. I flinch squeezing my eyes shut as the light momentarily blinds me. Dark, I am so used to the darkness.

Hiccup grunts before the sound of a body skidding across the dirty ground rises up and I open my eyes looking forward towards Hiccup's crumpled form. The messy array of bandages covering his chest and back are dirty and it's impossible to see that at one point of time they were white. His face is leaning against the floor, his manacled hands behind his back. He groans softly and doesn't seem to find the willpower to sit up.

I growl through my teeth and look up as Jink, Hitisha and Warnen (the forgetful head guard) step into the room behind him. Hitisha moves forward and grabs Hiccup's hair dragging him into a sitting position, "Get up." She growls.

Hiccup's eyes squeeze shut as Hitisha releases his scalp and steps back hand on the sword at her waist short black hair framing her glaring face. "See, I told you that he'd do something if we dragged the child in here." Jink says looking at his second in command with a self-satisfied smirk. Hitisha's eyes glaze over with I-am-not-impressed.

Hiccup looks up from the ground before meeting my eyes. The glaze covering his usually bright green eyes lifts slightly as he sees me. I move forward slowly trying my best not to wince as my shoulders move but walk as close to him as I can with the chain wrapped around my forelegs stretching back to the wall behind us.

Hiccup gives a half smile but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Hey bud," he whispers softly and lowers his head. I follow the suit and our foreheads touch in greeting and remorse. I wish I could do something, I want to break free and get Hiccup out of here; I don't even care if I make it, I just want him out.

They wanted _me_ in the first place Hiccup wasn't supposed to get messed up in this.

"Alright, you've made your point, chief." Hitisha says with a hint of mockery at the last word. Hiccup lifts his head and turns to glare at them as I do the same. Warnen cowers under my stare slightly and Jink laughs.

"You two really are so alike." He snickers his gaze lowers into a scowl as he turns to look at Hiccup. "You've got spirit, kid, but I'll tell you what." He says and smiles, "I've enjoyed breaking it."

Hiccup's glare lowers darker, "I'm not complying to your demands and neither is Toothless, Jink, give up."

Jink laughs. "I never quit."

Hitisha moves forward and grabs Hiccup's arm pulling him to his feet. He stumbles and I leap forward to try and stop Hitisha, catch him, break free something! Hitisha moves out of the length and I stumble over my feet smashing into the ground.

Jink takes the dagger Hitisha hands him and giving a half curved upwards smirk he looks at me, "This is the result of you dragon. If you'd just complided maybe he'd live." Jink sinks the weapon into Hiccup's back and he lets out a shrill scream as the weapon pierces through his scream.

Panic courses through me.

How could JInk! Does he have no mercy!?

Jink pulls the weapon back and tips Hiccup forward, "I'll leave you to enjoy your last moments together." He and the others leave as I move forward towards Hiccup. Then, suddenly flames burst up around us. I stare at them in surprise but turn my gaze to Hiccup.

His hands are free and he lifts his head, dead eyes staring at mine, "Why'd you leave me?" He whispers softly.

I wouldn't! Why would I!?

I have nowhere else to go!

Hiccup is my sky now; my brother, _my other half_!

"You let me die, Toothless." He says and the heat from the fire whizzes up around us. He lifts up a hand to me but then freezes pulling it back, "I didn't want to die because of you!" he hisses and draws away from me, "Go." He growls and I stare at him.

But I don't have my other tailfin, how can I…?

"Go!"

I swing my tail around for him to see but stop in surprise. The left fin is intact and perfectly fine. "GO!"

I stare at him again. I won't let him die alone. No. Even if he doesn't want me here.

He shoves me back, "Can't you see that you're not wanted here!?"

I look back at him, confused. Why would he have helped me take flight again, why would he lie and say he needed me, why would-

The scene changes again and I watch as Jink plunges the blade through Hiccup's back again, and again and again and again, the shrill screams echoing in my head and bouncing pulsing aching, ah! Make it stop.

 _Stop it, stop it, stop it!_

STOP IT!

I roar in frustration and squeeze my eyes shut before with a jolt I jerk my head upwards leaping to my feet panic pulsing through my veins as I rip my eyes open and stare around looking for fire, Jink anything but there's nothing.

Only the empty cold space of Hiccup's bedroom on Berk.

It was only a dream.

I blink several times trying to calm the racing of my heart as I scan around the room. There's nothing here, it's fine, breathe, calm down. I look at Hiccup's bed expecting to find him sleeping in it but there's no one there. Even the blanket he's been attached to the last few days is gone.

Panic slips through every part of me trying to reason and I race towards it in fear. Where would he be? Did Tijike attack and take him, but _I was in the room_!

He and Astrid aren't on the best of terms right now so they wouldn't be together I can really only think of one other place. I move towards the skylight and leap from it hitting the ground with ease.

The forge.

Maybe he figured something out to do with Inferno 2.0 but I could've sworn he finished it last night. Sighing through my nose I quickly trek across the village. The sun is rising in the distance but is blocked out by the thick dark storm clouds heading towards us. Snow. There is definitely going to be snow, probably by the end of today or early tomorrow.

I quickly make it across the village and spot the forge in the distance a small sigh of relief escaping through me as I see that it's lit. It might be Gobber but I have high doubts it is, Hiccup is the only person crazy enough to use it in the middle of the night. I race into the building and spot true to my instincts, Hiccup sitting towards a corner, the blanket wrapped around his lanky shoulders as he sews the edges of something together.

I dive next to him and resist the urge to leap on top of his form and cover him saliva. Instead I glare at him darkly and he looks up, his eyes widening with panic before he relaxes letting out a sigh, "Hey bud," He murmurs and lifts up a hand towards me.

I glare at him and shove past the fingers plopping my head down into his lap whining. He rests a hand on my head, "Sorry, I couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake you." He admits and I look at him. Seriously!? I would have been more than happy to have woken up from that dream.

He strokes the top of my head, "I guess I'm not the only one getting nightmares." He murmurs.

I look up at him in surprise. How does he manage to do that? He just...knows. I nod slightly and lift my head up from his project curling up next to him. He turns to he's facing me readjusting the blanket, "I don't think I'm ever going to be able to sleep properly again. I can't get more than an hour." He admits softly. His eyes have dark circles from the lack of sleep and stress.

He hasn't' been speaking as much either, he's sort of become quiet and distant from everyone but me. It's hard to strangle a full sentence from him. After last night and his small argument with Astrid, I don't know what's going to happen.

Hiccup ties off the thread he was working with and with a dagger lying next to him he cuts it. He lifts up the project and I stare at it for a second before my brain link it. "It's a new saddle," Hiccup explains lowering it, "The other one was…" He trails off as we both pause lost in the sea of memories. "Anyway it's better than the other one." He finishes quietly and smiles, it, like previous ones doesn't quite meet his eyes.

"I already finished the tailfin, I guess it's just a matter of when you want to try it out." Flying. Beyond our escape from the island we haven't done much flying. He gets to his feet wincing slightly.

I growl in question and he rubs his stump, "Stupid leg." He grumbles.

He turns and grabs the tailfin tucking it under one arm looking back at me with a half grin and a small twinkle in his eyes. "Whaddya say bud? Wanna give this a shot?

000o000

 _Hiccup,_

I don't think I'm ever going to get used the feeling of freedom flight gives.

Nothing can touch us in the air. Even though it's been months since our capture, it feels as though we've never left the air. Happiness is coursing through my blood as we sail away from Berk, but still close enough to it that we can land easily enough.

The wind is blowing past my hair in happy waves and I let out a sigh of contentment closing my eyes, "Thor, I've missed this." I murmur quietly. Toothless growls in soft agreement and continue to glide across the blanket of air.

My dad isn't going to be happy. He's made it very clear he wants me within sighting distance and flying off away from the island without really telling anyone where we're going except the rushed note in the blacksmith's is not going to please him. Not like I've done a good job at that recently anyway.

"Toothless, we are going to get our heads yelled off to Valhalla." I mutter to the Night Fury. He looks up at me, toxic green eyes full of so much personality it sometimes surprises me. He rolls the black irises, before looking forward again, flapping his powerful wings, his muscles working easily beneath me.

I release a breath through my nose and look down at the ocean blurring underneath us, giant pieces of ice float at the top of the body of water. Toothless's wings whistle slightly through the air and the frigid wind whips through my hair freezing my face. My fingers went numb the second Toothless lept into the air. We've been up for maybe half an hour but I feel like every single one of my limbs is about to freeze, fall off, come back to fall off, again. Just for good measure.

Toothless releases a heavy huff, a small cloud of smoke rising up as his breath hits the cold air. I close my eyes tightly trying to will my body to ignore the freezing cold much like it has before every time we go flying. Feeling free instead of freely freezing to death. Despite my pleas, the wind, temperature and the whole idea of flying itself in the drastic weather still built up on my cold, tired, injured muscles.

I release another breath and pat Toothless's neck my numb senses hardly picking up the touching of cold scales beneath them, "We should probably start heading back, bud." I say watching the puff of air blow past us from my breath. Toothless looks back at me, a sort of pouty, disagreeing look flashing across his face. I sigh, "I know, bud. I don't really want to leave either, but if we don't, I'm pretty sure all my limbs are going to willfully run off."

Toothless sighs before he spreads his wings, I grip the saddle's handles tighter as we rocket backwards the spread acting like a sudden parachute. Toothless whips around, heading back towards home, his wings whistling as he picks up speed. I click back the tailfin, the tail spreading outwards allowing Toothless to escalate forward faster. It works a lot better than the previous one, as does the saddle. I lean down trying to bury my head into his neck and regain what body warmth I can. Berk weather is generally resting somewhere between thirty degrees and fifty below so getting cold really doesn't happen much, but, for me, I've always felt it, similar to a deep chill settling in my bones.

I pull my hands back from the saddle and wrap them around myself rubbing it across my upper arms back and forth several times trying to restore what little heat exists to them. I release a breath and pull my head up from Toothless's neck and lift my hand up rubbing under my eyes. Exhaustion would be the first word I use to describe my current feeling. No sleep and flying in the middle of winter really isn't the best combo, then you're tired, cold and fifty feet (at the lowest) above the ocean.

Berk quickly grows in size and the heavy overcast of clouds makes it impossible to see what time of the day it is. I think it's a little past six or seven in the morning but I'm not sure. The temperature has dropped drastically. At least we'll beat everyone up and I won't have to explain about the flight to my dad.

I rub my upper arms again and watch as Toothless loops around the eastern side of the island where the training ring is. A shout of frustration rings through the air and I pause looking forward squinting. It's a very familiar sound.

Astrid.

I grit my teeth but let out a sigh, I need to face her sooner than later. "Bud, can you land, I…" I trail off unsure what to say. Want to talk to Astrid, want to check on her, apologize? I'm not sure. Toothless growls in confirmation before diving down towards the land gracefully.

After landing, I slide off of Toothless and walk forward towards the arena resting a hand against his head, "Wait here, bud." I say and he nods walking towards the edge of the arena curling up into a happy ball. I move forward towards the arena and slip inside watching Astrid hack aggressively at the barrels she has set up.

Her axe is smashing the wood to bits as angered cries come out of her throat. I move forward slowly, trying not to startle her. "AGH!" She screams and whips around to grab another barrel or something I'll never know. As soon as she sees me; she freezes; a haunted look coming over her face. Her expression becomes guarded, "What are you doing here?" She demands.

I watch her for a moment, "I…" Don't know.

Astrid seems to catch the last part even though I didn't speak it and turns slamming her axe down onto a barrel. She grabs two things from a crate and turns holding up swords. She stares at me before Astrid tosses one of the weapons at me and I catch it with instinct rather than thinking. "Fight me." She commands and turns gripping the other sword. It looks strange in her hands but still deadly. I haven't really seen her use any other weapons except for an axe. She was introduced to the weapon by her uncle Finn about thirteen or fourteen years ago and it sort of stuck.

Astrid pulls the weapon into both her hands and I follow her slowly, almost sluggishly but refuse to show any weakness. Astrid grits her teeth and narrows her eyes before with war cry she dives forward towards me.

I leap out of the way clumsily and lift the weapon up barely in time to block her attack. She swings her weapon forward with graceful accuracy and it clashes against the metal of mine. She tosses her bangs from her face, "You're sloppy." She says through her clenched teeth.

Frustration runs through me. _Of course I am!_ What does she think I was doing on Tijike constant battle lessons? Then again, I've never been the best at sword play anyway.

"I know." I grit and shove back against her weapon my muscles screaming as they try to break against hers. She pulls back abruptly and I stumble forward my feet suddenly losing their good relationship with the ground. Astrid swings her foot forward and knocks my feet out from under me.

I hit the ground with a 'thud' and spots dance in my vision. Astrid lifts her weapon forward and I lift my up to block her attack. "Slow." She adds. I squeeze my eyes shut before continuing to push against her blade I get to my feet and grip the hilt in both hands. "Your attack is predictable."

I leap forward in frustration and hack against her blade several times, she blocks it easily. Silence falls between us and after about two minutes Astrid shoves me away and stands up straight holding her weapon with one hand looking unaffected. I release a breath through my nose and tighten my grip on the sword. "You won't talk because you don't trust me, isn't it?" She demands her voice gaining a new icy feel.

I hiss through my teeth and I leap towards her with a war cry lifting the weapon over my head. I smash my weapon down on hers gasping for breath. "Lies." I hiss and she looks up at me infuriated and shoves the blade back.

 _"So then what's the TRUTH!?"_ Astrid screams her sword smashing against mine tightly. Our weapons grind against each other and I take in several pants before pulling back and hacking against her sword. "You won't talk because you're afraid, you broke, didn't you? Whatever they wanted you did." Astrid hisses the words cut through me like a physical blow. She kicks me in the stomach and I tumble backwards but manage to stay standing. I look up at her scowling then move my right hand from my stomach to the weapon.

She locks her weapon onto my hilt and swings the sword from my grip; it smacks against the ground embedding upwards in mockery. Astrid holds her weapon close to her chest as thoughts wing around my brain. I didn't break! I didn't speak! I won't talk because I'm trying to guard the secrets, much like what I did with the Tijikes. I can't stop doing it! Nothing helps. I'm trying to save them, I'm trying to help. I can't let them get hurt. _Why will no one believe me!?_

I narrow my eyes and grab the finished Inferno from my leg snapping the blade out the flames licking across everything from the hilt to the point. Astrid's eyes widen as she stares at it before I toss my long, dirty bangs from my face and dive forward towards her.

 _"I won't talk_ because I'm trying to save everyone." I cry and leap towards her. She lifts her hand up to block the blow easily and I smash the sword against it. "My _FATHER,"_ I scream smashing the weapon against hers with every word, "My _DRAGON,_ the _RIDERS,_ my _TRIBE, THE WOMAN THAT I LOVE!"_

Astrid moves backwards as my attacks become more furious, deadly and wild as I become in sync with the blade, the weapon becoming apart of me. Inferno causes her to become more guarded because the weapon _is on fire_. "ALL THESE SECRETS ARE TO KEEP YOU SAFE!" I scream and smash the weapon against hers. She switches from offensive to defensive and backs up across the arena her eyes wild and frantic.

"We were shot down. We couldn't escape." I begin and back up as she grows more frustrated her eyebrows lowering and her weapon becoming gleaming death swinging towards me. "The chief's name was Jink. He wanted Toothless, he wanted to break him, he wanted the secrets and tortured us both for them. I refused to tell; Toothless's wouldn't comply to his demands."

I swing the blade upwards, "He used fire, he burned me, _he whipped Toothless_ , he cut my skin, he taunted, he laughed, but I WOULDN'T BREAK! He said that none of you were coming but I grasped onto a small hope, I believed, I hoped, I _clung to the fact that you were coming._ I wouldn't put any of you in danger by LETTING MY TONGUE SLIP!"

"He wouldn't let me talk, but I spoke out, I sassed him, I irritated him, I frustrated him on purpose. I refused to break. He got angry, he used it on Toothless. It had to stop, _I had to make it stop_ , I spoke up, I begged him and when I did, he promised that none of you were coming, you'd left me. You didn't care. You would've found me if you did. He said that if I spoke out again, he'd stab Toothless then cut out my tongue."

Tears of frustration pile on the edges of my eyes as I continue to smack against her weapon every bit rage and aggression pulsing through me clashing against her weapon. "He smacked a red hot axe against my back and tossed me into the streets. I couldn't find hope, I broke, because I REFUSED TO TALK TO PROTECT EVERYONE! I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE COMING- _ANY OF YOU!_ WE'D BEEN THERE FOR WEEKS! _TOOTHLESS WAS DYING,_ I WAS FOLLOWING HIM; BUT NO ONE WAS COMING! _THERE WAS NO HOPE!"_

I lock my weapon onto her rainguard and swing the sword from her grip. It flies away from her smacking against where my previous one was the metal clanging. I bring my leg up and kick Astrid in the stomach; she crumples backwards hitting the ground. I leap over her form and raise Inferno over my head for a killing blow the brimmed tears streaking down my face. "By the time we escaped…" Astrid lifts up her hands to block her face but my hands falter and my thumbs brush against the latch as the weapon clicks back. My hands drop against my head the weapon clutched firmly in their grip. "...I didn't know who to trust anymore. Everyone just wanted answers; answers that I couldn't give because I don't trust anyone but Toothless."

I move away from Astrid's form collapsing to my knees. "Jink wanted to break me...and he did." I whisper dropping Inferno next to my feet. Silence clings to the air and Astrid slowly sits up and moves in front of me wiping her hands across her face. I knew it. She's not impressed, she's going to leave me like everyone else. That's why I wouldn't tell. That's why I wouldn't explain. She sits down next to me her hands playing with the dirty braids in my hair that have somehow managed to stay together in all this. She slowly runs her fingers across them unwinding the hair before picking the strands up and braiding it again.

"My mother had a fragile mug my father gave her on their wedding day." Astrid says softly and I don't look up at her. How does this have anything to do with whats going on? "She broke it, one day, dropped it. It shattered, into dozens of small pieces. She was devastated. My father gathered all the small pieces and slowly melted the cup back together. When he gave it back to her, it was stronger and more beautiful than before."

Astrid ties off the braids and slowly moves her hands forward and gently grabs my clenched ones. My palms are starting to bleed lazily from the pressure I'm putting on them and she softly opens my hand wrapping her fingers around it. With her free hand she gently tilts my chin upwards so we're looking eye to eye. "Hiccup, trust is like that cup. It's so easy to break _\- but it can be rebuilt_ ; and when it is, it's stronger and more beautiful than before." She squeezes my hand as I slowly take in her words.

She _wants_ me to trust her again. She _hasn't_ given up on me and she's not going to. She's going to gather all my broken pieces and weld them back together. I meet her beautiful eyes and return the squeeze to her hand. I stare at her face, watching it carefully; her expression is caring, the hard edge it's had for the last couple of days washed out, but around her eyes and down her pale cheeks are streaked with water and it takes me a moment to realize what it is.

Tears.

She's been crying.

* * *

 **Authors Note: =) Next chapter: Berk At War. :)**


	6. Chapter 6: Berk At War

**Authors Note: Hello pups! This chapter isn't my favorite but its better than nothing, right? ;)**

 **Thanks for your support guys! You are SO AMAZING! I'll do shout outs next chapter. ;) 'Cause your _all_ awesome. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors.**

 **WARNING: Mentions of blood (nothing to graphic though).**

* * *

Chapter 6: Berk At War

 _Hiccup,_

An awkward silence flutters through the air after Astrid finishes her sentence. I greatly desire to flee and hide under a blanket for a while but the stubborn streak running through me prevents me from doing that. I study Astrid's face instead.

She's watching me as well but it's not a my-eyes-are-boring-into-your-soul kind of stare. I...don't know for sure what it is but it doesn't make me uncomfortable. After a few seconds I realize what seems so off about her appearance. She changed her hair. It's usually swept back away from her face and out of the way but it's currently in a side braid pulled over her left shoulder.

And a hood, she's dressed for colder weather, like most sane people would be at this time of year, I myself did grab a thicker jacket before running off to the forge earlier this morning. "You changed your hair." I say quietly and her free hand flies up to it as if in surprise before fingering the braid. She nods.

"Yeah, we had an...incident with one of the islands we searched and I lost a good portion of it." She says and shakes her head slightly a small smile on her lips as she recalls a memory I wasn't present in. I move my hand forward and slow grab Inferno tucking it onto the straps on my leg I made a few hours ago.

"You finished the prototype." She states gesturing in Inferno's general direction. I nod.

"Yeah. It took a few tries." I admit.

"It blew up in your face, didn't it?" Astrid asks with a hint of humor. I open my mouth to argue before slowly closing it. It did. Not a bad explosion per say, but one nonetheless. Astrid laughs and I look up at her in surprise. It's been so long since I've heard her laugh.

A small smile spreads across my face, "Not too badly." I smirk and she laughs again before giving my hand, still clutched in her grip, a small squeeze. Her laughter dies as she stares me in the eyes. "Thor I've missed you, Hiccup." She whispers her tone dropping to a dead serious whisper. I meet her eyes. I've missed her too. A lot, actually.

I open my mouth to answer her but am stopped dead as a horn blows in the distance. I jerk forward my position jumping to alert. Astrid's eyes widen. That wasn't any horn, it was the war horn. Berk is under attack.

From _who?_

I leap to my feet and offer a hand to Astrid, she stares at it for a second before taking it and I help to her to her feet trying to look beyond the arena, Thor, why did we have to put in one of the worst positions for finding Berk? I race towards Toothless, "C'mon bud." I say and he nods. I swing onto his neck as Astrid jumps onto Stormfly.

I glance at her before urging Toothless forward silently.

The Night Fury races forward and leaps into the air, I duck as he dives through the doors to the old Dragon Academy and into the open air. Stormfly is close behind us.

"What do you think it is?" Astrid demands her dragon gliding up next to me and Toothless.

I shake my head, "I don't know."

I don't. Berserk is our alley, so is are the Outcasts and we haven't really butted heads with any of the other islands beyond the Meatheads but I really don't think they would attack us. The horn blows again, more urgent. The weather is cold, but as we dive around the rocks to stare at the island my heart sinks a cold feeling running through me.

I want to find the nearest bed and curl up in a blanket then have a good hearty cry.

Or run.

Hide.

Scream.

The island is starting to smoke, as the Vikings pour across the streets. But familiar, too familiar.

Tijikes.

Jink is attacking Berk.

No, no, no, no, no, no!

NO!

I grit my teeth and suck in a sharp breath as Astrid gasps, "T-that's the simple you had on your des-"

 _"I know_!" I interrupt in a low hiss looking back at her sharply. She turns grabbing to grab something from off her saddle but it isn't there. I hardly give it a second thought.

"Let's find your dad!" She says and I nod looking around at the smoke rising up. How did they get here so fast!? Me and Toothless flew around the island...in the other direction. It's been days, it wouldn't have taken that much time to get here. A breath of frustration pumps through me as I look down at my island. Jink was overstepping a line when he took interest in Toothless but this...this is overstepping, snapping and dancing on it. I'm going to kill him. With my bare hands.

"Uh, I hate to be the voice of doom at this moment of...well _doom_ but we have a problem." Tuffnut declares as he and his sister fly up towards them. Smoke is rising upwards in heavy gusts, the sky, though it's the morning looks like late night. Me and Astrid had been so busy with our duel we completely missed it.

"Like a large problem." Ruffnut declares ducking as an arrow sails over her head.

"What is it?" I demand scanning around the village. I spot my father near the Great Hall, he Gobber and my uncle are near him taking out the Tijikes with ease. A woman races towards him bearing a double sided sword and I still. Hitisha. The woman takes black heart to a new level.

"The fires." Tuffnut says pointing behind him. I lift my gaze from the battling duo to the outskirts of Berk. "Whoever these guys are they are thural. They set Berk on fire, and I don't just mean the village, they set the _entire_ island on fire." Tuffnut says.

Fishlegs and Snotlout fly up towards us, "It's bad, they're circling us with the flames, burning the island from the outside in." Fishlegs reports.

"Please tell me you have a plan." Snotlout pleads. Panic wraps around the fear settling in my chest and I force a deep breath. Plan? I have no plans!? I haven't even really processed the fact that this is actually happening yet.

"Jink wouldn't put himself in the middle of the battl-" I start to think aloud but am stopped at the chorus of four confused voices: "Jink?" Snotlout, the twins, and Fishlegs echo.

"The chief." I answer distractedly. My brain is spinning. Jink isn't a man to throw himself into the middle of the action, he likes to pull out his prey then hunt them to death. He'd be with more men, setting the fires in the northern forest...I think.

I hope.

"Wait, you _know_ these guys?" Snotlout screeches as Astrid sucks in a sharp breath. I look up at him a sharp answer of "no" on my lips but I stop. Why am I lying? They should know the truth. I...trust them. Every single one of them despite how much my brain is screaming at me to not.

"...It's the island that captured me and Toothless." I answer quietly after a moment. There's silence for a moment before Ruffnut and Tuffnut break into a chorus of angry threats.

"I'm going to strangle every single one of their necks and-" Ruffnut starts.

"I'll use every choke hold I can find, the Outcast choke hold, the Berserker choke hold-any choke hold that isn't there's!" Tuffnut cries.

"-with an axe and-" Snotlout starts.

The chorus of threats grow more deadly and painful as they do. Not helping, not helping, not helping, not helping, not- "GUYS!" I cry in frustration and they stop looking at me, "That won't help-"

"Bro, I saw the injuries they did to both of you." Ruffnut says darkly her voice gaining a new edge that isn't heard often. When? The only person I let see them was my dad and Gothi...the cove. When Toothless and I fell asleep in the cove they must've seen something. I shake my head.

"You can avenge us later, right now we need to get to the forest and stop Jink from burning everything to the ground." I say and they look at me before nodding slowly. Toothless dives forward the other riders following quickly.

"What about your dad?" Astrid yells towards me.

I glance back at him watching him tackle Hitisha. "He's doing fine, come on!"

We make it to the outskirts of the forest before a dozen plus screams rip through the air. I twist around in the saddle the dragons stopping in shock. Boulders smash against the ground and the Berkians on their dragons fighting in air are hit. Distaste for Jink settles in me. He did this.

"Ruff, Tuff, Fishlegs Snotlout go help the others. Astrid and I will take care of Jink!" I shout and they nod Ruffnut giving me a small salute.

"You got it boss!" She calls.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Tuffnut cries.

"Snotlout, Snotlout Oi! Oi! Oi!"

Stormfly and Toothless dive towards the forest leaving the village behind. Smoke is rising heavily here, it's impossible to see anything less than two inches from your face. I purse my lips tightly trying to calm the unease settling in my stomach. Fire. It had to be fire.

No more fire, please.

Astrid looks over at me, "What are we looking for?" She demands.

"A troll." I answer without really thinking.

"Hiccup."

"Think my dad but slightly smaller and blond." I correct and squeeze my eyes shut, "The edges of his hair are silver. He has this weird spiky thing he wears on his left shoulder." I explain in one breath.

"Got it." Astrid says with a firm nod.

I scan around us trying to see through the smoke but failing. Where would he be? He has to be around here somewhere. I don't know where else to look for him.

 _"You got a phobia of fire?...We can change that, don't you agree?"_ Fire. He set the island on fire. The one thing he desperately tried to break me with.

I release a shaky breath, "Hiccup, look out!" Astrid's voice suddenly screams snapping me from my thoughts. My senses jump upwards but I can't see anything, for what!? What's coming towards us, what is it!? Toothless jerks down, heading for a dive as something smacks around my ribs and chest pulling me into the saddle. Toothless's wings jerk inwards what I'm sure is painful or in the least highly uncomfortable as the net takes hold.

Pain racks through my rips, face shoulders and I feel myself jerk from the saddle. "HICCUP!" The voice is blurry and sounds more like "pick up!" than my name. Panic overtakes the pain and my fingers scramble for the dagger I wear at my belt. I rip it from within the leathers grasp and attempt to cut the ropes on us.

The sharp edge slices across my hand and I hiss through my teeth before Toothless smacks into the ground. We skid several feet and I let out a groan as Toothless struggles in the ropes around us. I bite my tongue and glance at the gash on my hand before looking around for the dagger. It's not here.

Crossbows lock and I pause scanning around us. It's a clearing, with more than a dozen, maybe two dozen men all armed to the teeth. The fire is roaring around us but a snow is starting to fall softly dimming the fire's effect. "Well, well, well," A nasally voice declares that makes my blood run cold.

Toothless stiffens beside me.

Jink.

The voice has haunted my memories for days. "You two really are a sight for sore eyes." Jink laughs and my fingers scramble down before I grasp Inferno and pull the weapon off my leg snapping the blade outwards. The fire lights instantly and I snap the blade down on the ropes, they snap immediately and Toothless and I leap to our feet in near sync.

I hold the blade out towards him.

Toothless moves in front of me hissing angrily, a threatening growl a take-one-more-step-forward-and-I'll-blast-you-to-valhalla snarl.

Jink laughs.

"Ah, cute."

"S-stay back!" I command waving Inferno threatening. I inwardly curse at the stutter that slips into my voice. Yes, he's very intimidated of you. Shut it.

Jink rolls his eyes. "You don't scare me boy." He says and Toothless snarls. Jink's eyebrows shoot up in slight surprise. "Ah, you on the other hand." He says looking Toothless in the eyes. Toothless growls in warning his back arching slightly as with a quick movement he sweeps his tail around my legs. I point Inferno out towards Jink.

"Stop." I command my voice shaking and seeming terribly small.

Jink halts, a snicker building up in his throat, "Hmm, let's see, I ah," he lifts his hand up and with a quick movement backhands me across the face. Inferno flies from my grip landing a few feet away, the blade diving back into the hilt. Toothless roars in anger as I stumble backwards my vision fuzzy. "Don't follow orders very well."

Toothless looks back at me for a second and I can see the confliction playing in his eyes. Jink waves his hand and a rally of bolas fly from the men's' grip wrapping around Toothless, barely missing me. "No!" I protest and sit up grabbing one of the ropes and tugging on it.

"Take him." Jink says with an almost bored wave of his hand.

My upper arms are jerked back as I'm pulled roughly to my feet. I struggle in his grip trying to get to Toothless. I have to. I can't let Jink take him again. I won't. No. No. No!

Jink walks forward towards Toothless's struggling form and runs a hand along the Night Fury's neck, "Be still." He whispers and my eyes widen with horror as his fingers slip into the spot under Toothless's chin and the dragon goes limp, unconsciousness taking him. How does he know about that-Thor doe sit matter now? He can take Toothless easily. I'm not much of a resistance.

No! No! No!

"Oh, don't be so morose, child." Jink says looking at me with a roll of his eyes. Frustration boils through me before it's quickly replaced again by panic. Raw, fierce never dying panic.

"No! _Please!_ Let him go, take me!" I plead struggling against my captor's grip. My tired muscles protest but the panic racing through me overshadows it. I can't let them take Toothless. No! I may not have been able to protect him a few months ago but I have to this time. I will.

I have to.

"Nah," Jink says and smiles striding towards me, "You know what your problem is, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third, son of Stoick the Vast heir of Berk?" Jink says throwing the title out with complete and utter mockery. I glower at him darkly. "You're always getting in everyone's way. I have to say it's annoying. You're a bird fluttering around without any wings." Jink says and a wry smile spreads across his lips.

My heart sinks.

"Wings." I repeat dubiously. Toothless. Toothless is my wings, my other half-oh Thor I can't let Jink take him! I struggle harder my jerks forcing the man gripping me to strengthen his hold. Jink waves his hand and a handful of men race forward grabbing the bola's wrapped around Toothless. I snarl and Jink looks at me in amusement.

"Yes. You're not as dumb as you look!" Jink praises. "You stopped me from taking your mighty Night Fury, stopped me from conquering him and now, you've stopped me from taking him again. Truthfully, I didn't plan on killing you."

I freeze the blood rushing from my face.

 _Kill?_

Jink moves forward his stride powerful and grips my shoulder with bone shattering grip. My color bone groans in protest. The man behind me releases my upper arms and I struggle in Jink's grip. Jink smiles pulling a dagger from his belt with his other hand. I freeze, meeting the taller mans eyes.

"You're so very broken, but I'll tell you what: I like broken things, it's fun to see how much more you can get them to shatter again." Jink says and smirks with satisfaction. Broken, shatter again. "This," Jink says all humor slipping from his deep, thick accented voice, "is over, Hiccup Haddock." Jink shoves the blade through my chest to the hilt and my mouth opens in a voiceless scream agony washing over me, pulsing, aching, burning, killing... My vision dims my muscles twitching everything screaming. My breath escapes in a huff of unvoiced agony, I can't breathe, Thor, I can't breathe! Jink leans forward his foul breath pouring over me as he whispers one word victoriously, "Checkmate."

Jink releases my shoulder and laughs turning around yelling something at his men. My legs crumple beneath me and my body hits the ground but I hardly feel it everything is murky. My eyes slip shut as I let out a groan curling in on myself. Toothless. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock get up, Toothless needs you.

I move my hand away from the bleeding wound and press my fingers into the dirt attempting to shove my way to my feet. I make I about an inch before my breathless body gives up. I can hear my heartbeat slowing in my ears. Oh Thor, this is it. I'm dying.

Toothless will have no one.

Stand up! Stand up! Stand up, stand up, stand up!

My muscles don't move. Everything is slowing, distantly I can see through my hazy vision Toothless being dragged off. My hand lifts weakly in protest but not enough to do anything. No! No! No! Please no! My consciousness fades and I squeeze my hands against the wound my vision going black.

"To..tooth..." My eyes slip shut.

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 **Authors Note: *Wrings hands* I'm gonna say nothing...**


	7. Chapter 7: Don't Leave Me!

**Author's Note: I liiiiivvvveeee! *Throws hands upwards*. Heh. Sorry pups. I guess I just love leaving you with cliffhangers for ridiculous amounts of time. ;) (not really). I was extremely depressed and didn't feel like doing anything but sleeping and crying. So... Anyways. Wow, I listened to blizzard sounds as I wrote this chapter and like, whoa.**

 **Anyways, originally, I was going to skip this part 'cause I wanted this story to be solely Hiccup/Toothless's POV's but after a little bit of debate I did Astrid's. This probably her only POV (she might have another one). But yeah. Ramble, ramble, ramble.**

 **WARNING: Mentions of blood! (not super descriptive but, uh, pups, Hiccup was just stabbed. ;) Annd MINOR SPOILERS FOR SEASON 4!**

 **Disclaimer: I ownith nothing!**

 **Sorry for any spelling/grammar issues.**

 **Song inspiration: Pirate Love Song -Black Heart by BrunuhVille**

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 **SHOUT OUTS! (I did promise. ;))**

 **FabinaForever11: Pfft, kill him? I hate sudden character deaths in the middle of the story. It's like: Whoa! This is so cool it's so-annnd Hiccup's dead...alrighty then, what's next? At least, for me personally. ;) Thanks for your review!**

 **MidnightForest037: First off pal, awesome username. Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and yup, people can survive stabbage. Unless it's in the liver or other important organs but liver is immediate death, I have done my research. ;)**

 **Fanwriter02: Astrid was...busy. Thanks! I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Guest #1: AH! FLEE PITCHFORKS AND TORCHES! XD Ha, ha, ha! Your review made me laugh, very hard. Thanks pal! :)**

 **Guest #2: Yeah, Hiccup is in a loud of trouble. Updated! :)**

 **PhAnToM: Thanks! XD**

 **Saraj8ne: Right? People don't actually think that they'll get stabbed. Ah, cliffhangers. Thanks for your review.**

 **Guest 3#: Pup, I appreciate your honesty with me. But, if you don't like the story, you don't have to read it, I promise. XD Thanks for your review!**

 **SailorMew4: Ha, ha, ha! I am so evil! :) Thanks for your review.**

 **Guest 4#: Cliffhanger! :)**

 **Guest 5#: I don't know why your review didn't show up. :/ Thanks for your review.**

 **Windrider340: Nah, don't be sorry I'm with you! (I still haven't figured out the most painful death for Jink yet…) XD Thanks for your review!  
**

 **And to everyone else, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT/FOR READING THIS! YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!**

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Chapter 7: Don't Leave Me! Don't You Dare Leave Me!

 _Astrid,_

I've never felt more tempted to strangle something.

My fist jerks upwards punching the man across the face, he stumbles backwards as I dive backwards to avoid a lethal swing from a sword towards my chest. Dive, leap, attack, retreat, repeat. I have to get this over with. Hiccup and Toothless are still out there and Thor knows the amount of trouble they've gotten themselves into.

I swing my left leg forward and kick another attacker, a large burly, bearded man in the stomach gripping my dagger's tighter. The hilt is slick with sweat and my hands are starting to get clammy from the heavy, unreleasing, tightening grip that I have around them. I, being the amazing warrior prepared genius I am, left my axe in the ring as Hiccup and I fled into the battle. Now, I'm down to the weapons I carry solely on my person at all times and the occasional spineshot from Stormfly. She's busy.

I crisscross my daggers in an X to block an attack from a sword and push against the weapon gritting my teeth. My attacker, a large Viking shoves against his weapon both of us silently battling for the win. I will not bend, I will not break.

I shove back and kick the man away spinning around as I hear footsteps behind me. Anger slides through my emotions, tampering with my cool head. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is that's bothering me so much. Hiccup? Toothless? The attack?

Whatever it is, these men are getting a full force of it. The adrenaline pumping through my veins is starting to take hold and my muscles are getting sluggish. No taunts or quips leave my pursed mouth as I focus intently on _not dying_. My face is bleeding heavily and a nice gash is across my eyebrow on my right side.

I release a breath through my nose, ignoring the puff of steam it sends up towards the sky and hack at a man's weapon aggressively. This needs to end, I have to find Hiccup and Toothless. These men are good; well trained. My stamina is running short. Stormfly is taking on at least four at once and I need to ditch my attackers to go help her, then find Hiccup. Me and Stormfly had been searching for them when they jumped in front of us. I'm not entirely sure what bloody island it is that attacked us but I'm thoroughly done with them. The sail looked familiar when I saw it less than an hour ago. I'm not sure from where.

I grunt in shock as a leg smacks against my distracted ribs and I tumble backwards the gronckle iron daggers slipping from my hands. A man moves forward lifting his sword over his head with a grunt, I narrow my eyes and bring my hands forward grabbing the man's forearm and twisting it slightly. The sword slips from his grip and clatters at our feet.

Smoke is rising heavily into the air and I keep my breaths short and as possible. The smoke is messing with my senses. The man swings his fist forward and I catch it with one palm looking towards my attacker's face. It's covered mostly with a thick cloth, probably to block out the smoke, and I can't read his expression very well but from his eyes I can take that he's frustrated.

They may be well trained, but so am I.

The man draws his hand back and I tense, letting my muscles brace for another attack. The man looks prepared to do just that but stops when a horn screeches through the silence of the air. It has a faint musical tone to it but for the most part is a faint screech echoing around us and drowned by the roar of the fire.

Not Berk's.

The man's gaze flickers towards me for a moment before he turns and takes off into the woods quickly followed by his masked comrades. A horn of retreat then. A relieved breath escapes my tired muscles and I turn looking back at Stormfly as she moves towards me. I smile faintly and a gust of wind smacks against my back. A shiver slithers down my spine and I grab the edges of my hood pulling it up. I wipe the cut across my cheek and let out a breath.

A light snowfall is beginning to fall, not annoying but this is Berk, in a few minutes it's going to be a full on out blizzard of death and destruction. I lean down and grab my discarded daggers sliding them onto their holders at my waist. I turn to Stormfly resting a hand on her nose. She's bleeding in a few places but nothing that shouldn't go away in a few days. We're both going to be fine.

Hiccup and Toothless. We need to find them. Now.

"C'mon Stormfly, let's go find Hiccup and Toothless, see what trouble they've gotten themselves into this time." I say with a sigh and a shake of my head. Trouble. So much trouble. My heart gives a painful twist at the thought of a few weeks ago when Stoick had to publicly declare them dead and ended the search. I refused to give up and kept on silently searching anyway.

Stormfly coos in agreement and I grab her saddle swinging onto her back with ease. I tug my hood over my face before grabbing the handles. Stormfly looks back at me and I give a nod of confirmation, with a powerful leap Stormfly jumps into the air and higher into the snowfall. Hiccup. I close my eyes slightly.

I never hated him, exactly, I'm just a sore loser. And a spit fire. I really wish things had gone differently when I snuck into his room a few days ago. He needed someone he could lean on, but all I did was yell at him. Trust. He _does_ trust me. I can see it in his stance, the look in his eyes, the problem is, he doesn't trust _himself._ I refuse to give up on him, I'll pick up the pieces of the man that I love and put him back together, no matter how long it takes.

A heavy gust of wind smacks against my face and I'm torn from my thoughts as the weather decides it's time for me to leave them. I scan around us for Hiccup and Toothless but this is quickly becoming an issue as the storm, true to Berk nature, picks up speed. I grit my teeth in frustration. The snow is blowing into every part of my face it can reach. I'm beyond sure that my fingers went numb a good ten maybe twenty minutes ago. I tug on my hood to keep it over my face and grip Stormfly's saddle tighter, "Do you see them!?" I yell towards her. Stormfly shakes her head and continues searching below us.

The smoke has cleared, that I suppose, is a good thing but I can't seem to muster up the proper bout of happiness with freezing flakes blowing in my face every second. My grip tightens before through the heavy snow I spot a clearing. The wind is bitter and cold but the snow isn't falling heavily enough to make visibility impossible, but it's getting there.

The clearing is dirty and the still burning trees are smoking but there's a lingering sense of wrongness about it. I bite my lip before lifting my hand out for Stormfly to see, "Land there, girl." I request and she squawks leaping forward in a dive. My heart hammers inside my chest.

Hiccup and Toothless weren't in the air. Are they injured? What happened? Did they get free of the net?

I bite my lip before Stormfly lands. I leap off her back and scan around myself, there's a heavy set of footprints everywhere and a drag line leading into the forest followed by footprints. Odd. Arrowheads are scattered, a crossbow laying here and there and a broken net is laying towards the center with a small cylinder next to it.

Gnawing on my inner lip I move forward toward the net and finger the twine before looking at the cylinder. I brush a layer of snow off of it and dread sweeps through me. It's the updated Inferno. Hiccup and Toothless were here. I sit up clutching the weapon before attaching it to my belt.  
If they're not here, where are they?

There was clearly a small battle fought but there's no sign that anyone is still here. Were they captured again? Panic sputters across every available nerve at the thought. I wasn't here to defend them, to give the well deserved punch in the face to Jink and his happy band of psychos. Please no.

I turn my gaze sweeping more carefully across the trees hoping I missed something. A clue, a sign, something to let me know they're still on Berk. They couldn't have disappeared again. Hiccup is the only one who knows where Jink's island is.

Snow, snow, snow, ashen trees, snow, broken tre-no. Oh, Thor, _NO!_

 _No, no, no, no!_

No!

NO!

Hiccup. His body is limp and laying in the snow, defeated and broken but I can't tell if he's breathing. "Hiccup!" I breathe and tear across the snow kicking the power up racing towards him. No, no, no, no, no! I scramble towards the heir slipping slightly but manage to regain my balance. I skid to my knees and my hands fly over my mouth my breath hitching.

Oh _, no!_

"Hiccup!" I shout, again, but he doesn't do anything. He's pale, his lips a faint shade of blue, the snow around him a deep shade of crimson but the thing that grasps my attention the most is the deep stain of red spreading across his chest below his ribs. Oh Thor. It's a stab wound.

 _He was stabbed._

"No! No, no, no, no!" I beg and grab the edge of his coat peeling it away from his chest trying to get a better look. The green fabric underneath is a deeper shade and vomit builds at the back of my throat. _What do I do?!_ I can't leave him here, he'll either bleed out or freeze to death. I'm not a healer! Oh Thor, no, no, no, no! _Why?_

A childish part me wants to scream out that it's not fair.

"You stay with me!" I command my vision blurry with tears as I smash my hands down on his chest adding pressure to the bleeding wounds. His back arches slightly with pain and a breath of air escapes his frozen lips. "Don't leave me! _Don't you dare leave me!"_ I scream. Not again. No. It was agony thinking that he was dead, I went to the cove the night I found him to finally accept his death, but this time...it's real. And there's nothing I can do.

I've never felt so helpless.

 _He. Can't. Die! No! Please no!_

A soft, barely noticeable groan escapes the Haddock's lips and I snap my gaze down towards him but his eyes don't open and he remains semi-conscious. I need him to be awake! I can't lose him! I refuse to lose him.

 _I can't!_

I pull my hands back and rip his jacket apart staring at the wound wiping my hands on the snow disgust fluttering through me. Hiccup moans again and I roll my sleeves upwards grabbing my arm wraps and quickly undoing them. I have no other fabric except my coat and we'll both die if I freeze to death.

I gently lift Hiccup up slightly and look towards Stormfly helplessly. She moves forward and swipes her tail under his upper back lifting him. I grab the strip of fabric and quickly work it across his chest flinching as he groans. No, no, no, no, no.

I tie off the bandage and catch his upper back as Stormfly lets him go.

Realization smacks me in the face, my childish denial finally swept away.

 _Hiccup is going to die._

 _And there's nothing I can do about it._

"Oh Thor! Hiccup, no!" Tears run down my cheeks, as I grab his hand and squeeze it tightly. I pinch my eyes shut and lean forward gently pressing our foreheads together, "I can't lose you again."

I pull my head back and tighten my hold under his shoulders, grabbing him and pull him away from the crimson snow lifting him with ease, "You're going to be okay, you're going to be okay!" I shout gripping him tighter before my floodgates break and the tears fall. My shoulders shake with the sobs and I struggle to breathe properly everything blurry as I lament.

My breaths come out as strangled gasps and my voice is barely above a whisper, "Please be okay," I tighten my grip and stare at his pale, pained face three small words slipping from my lips, "I love you."

He doesn't awaken, open his eyes or do anything but remain unnervingly like a frozen corpse. I grab his shoulders and under his knees lifting up bridal style. He groans and I feel tears slip from my cheeks looking down at him, this could be his death. I can't lose him! I won't, I refuse to let him die.

"Shh, you need to stay with us." I murmur, echoing the words he whispered gently to me when I had Odin's Scourge a few months ago. You need to stay with _me!_ I move towards Stormfly and she squawks sorrowfully as she see's Hiccup's state. Hiccup's breathing picks up the pace and I grip him tighter before I look at Stormfly. The wind is howling angrily and it's bitter, Stormfly would be jerked from the sky, the only dragon who could fight it might be Toothless but he's absent. I can't risk it, we'll have to walk back.

I kick my feet through the tall snow, the thick, freezing powdery flakes, bouncing up around me wishing I could run back. Berk is a good two hours from here and who knows how long he was laying in the snow before hand, it was very red. Too red. Hiccup's eyelids open heavily and he looks up at me, a glazed look through them as if he can't actually see me.

"Too..th...less." He breathes.

"Hiccup," I choke keeping a firm hold on him as he starts to struggle weakly. Why! Why are you doing this!? Please just stay still, "...h-he's fine." I lie the words coming off as broken to me. Hiccup, however, seems satisfied with this answer. I don't know what happened, I can only assume that whoever stabbed Hiccup took his dragon after plunging the blade through his chest.

"I'm...sorry...Astrid..." He murmurs softly before his eyes close, his head rolling back and his body goes limp in my arms.

"No! No! No! Hiccup!" I plead, "Stay awake! Please stay awake!" I beg. He doesn't, shakey, broken breathes leaving his chest. Oh Thor, we have to move. I will my feet forward and keep Hiccup tucked close to my chest lowering my head so my hood falls in front of my eyes, my upper body shielding hiccup from the storm some. Stormfly stays next to my side, being my eyes.

Whoever did this is going to pay. I'm going to wring their necks then toss them into a volcano, sweep up the ashes and feed it to Stormfly. People overstep a line when they hurt Hiccup but _stabbing_ him? That's something else entirely.

I grit my teeth and focus on forward instead of the despair that's grasped onto my heart. He's not going to make it. There's no way he could. He's bleeding out. I'm not a healer, sure, I know the basics but not this. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO! He's going to die and it's going to be _MY FAULT!_

I should've looked harder, I should've taken out the men faster, I should've been here quicker, I should've stopped it from happening. But I didn't.

My eyes are blurry from the tears falling down my face but I press on. MInutes pass by slowly, every wind gust is agonizing. My feet are growing distant. Stormfly's wings lift above me and Hiccup trying to block some of the wind and snow as we walk.

Berk isn't getting closer.

No light, no warmth, no hope.

Step after step.

Left, right.

Cold.

Tired.

Eyes aching.

Numb feet.

No direction.

Breathing hard.

Lungs ache.

Tired muscles.

Frozen fingers.

 _Cold._

I want to fall down and have a good hearty cry; but I won't give up. I refuse to give up. I stop moving and it's death for both me and Hiccup. I won't let that happen. No.

 _Keep. Moving._

Time moves forward slowly, the wind doesn't let up-it's gets worse-and the blizzard is making sight impossible. I give my full trust to Stormfly, she's the only one who knows where we're going; Hiccup's breaths are getting weaker but I can tell that some part of him is conscious, his eyelids keep fluttering.

He's not dead yet. Neither am I.

Cold. Cold. Oh, I am so cold and tired. Maybe I can rest for a second…My feet give out suddenly and I collapse Hiccup still clutched in my arms. I cry out but my voice sounds distant. Get up, get up, get up, get up! Get up or you're both going to freeze Astrid Camicazi Hofferson!

Stormfly sqwuaks and neals shoving her head against my back trying to get me to move. "I can't." I whisper, my voice ghostly. Hiccup gives a strangled breath and his eyes squeeze shut. I tighten my hold on him tears of frustration mixing with the grief. I can't move. I'm going to freeze to death. My limbs are frozen.

Stormfly presses harder against my back and a sob escapes my lips, _"I CAN'T!"_ I scream looking back at her in frustration. Her blurry blue form is blocked by the snow but I can still see the concerned look she sends me. I can't, I can't, I can't! No one is coming for us, we're on our own. We're going to die. There's nothing I can do except wait for Berk to find our frozen corpses. There's no hope, my legs are frozen. Hiccup. My heart twists as I look down at his pale form, I want to protect him, keep anyone from so much as looking at him funny but I can't. I took on my Uncle's title of "fearless" but I'm terrified.

" _So what are you going to do?"_ My voice echoes in my head and I squeeze my eyes shut. Nothing. I can't do anything. It's helpless. " _There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid, always."_

Always.

The word rattles around my brain and another sob escapes my lips.

 _"Don't you trust me, Hiccup?"_

 _"...No one was coming..."_

 _"Why won't you talk to me!?"_

 _"...I didn't think you were coming-any of you!"_

 _"Why are you incapable of seeing that I'm trying to help you?"_

 _"There was no hope!"_

 _"...be a Hiccup and Astrid..."_

I throw back my head and let a scream of fury escape my lips. I'm doing everything I can to make amends and help him trust himself again but I'm failing. The moment I make progress, when I finally break through his mental barriers, _this_ happens.

He promised me and in the most horribly ironic way he's right. We're both going to die here. In the snow, frozen, but together. Bitterness sweeps through me. Stormfly nudges against my back again and I look back at her. She coos trying to get me to move forward and a small pang battles through my heart.

She, Stormfly, the other half of the sword that makes up me trusts me because of Hiccup. All of this, new Berk, Dragon's Edge, everything is because of him.

I blink my frozen eyelashes before looking back down at Hiccup. My resolve settles.

I have to get him help.

He's still alive. I grasp the small thin strand of hope and cling to it with my whole being.

I lift my head up determination running through me. My muscles groan in protest as I get to my feet slowly and stumble slightly but manage to regain my shaky balance. Stormfly coos encouragingly and I take a step forward only to ram into something. I gasp and my hands curl around Hiccup as I lean back to regain my footing.

A step.

It's a stair. I squint before looking back at Stormfly. She moves forward bobbing her head encouragingly. The Great Hall. That's why she was so persistent on trying to get me up. We're so close to help. Gritting my teeth and clenching my jaw I move forward and grab Hiccup tighter and force my beyond exhausted muscles to work.

Right left, right left…

I move forward and stumble when I reach the end of the stairs who knows how long later. I move forward and spot the Great Hall's doors. Everyone has to be in here, Stormfly wouldn't lead me astray. I shove my right shoulder against the doors and they let out a long groan as I stumble inside.

I blink rapidly as the light smacks into my eyes momentarily blinding me. I stumble forward gasping at the sudden heat. My voice is small and quiet but I open my eyes, "H-h-help." I rasp moving forward, "Help...please...Hiccup.." I murmur my voice growing quieter. My hands are shaking. I can't hold him for much longer.

" _ASTRID!?"_ My mother's voice shrieks. I look up as the heads snap around to look at us.

"Hiccup?" Stoick breathes somewhere behind her.

Four figures leap in front of me and I moan leaning away clutching Hiccup tighter. "Oh Thor, oh Thor!" Fishlegs squeaks on my left. The twins suck in sharp breaths in sync and through my hazy vision I can spot Snotlout's face paling.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Stoick roars and shoves the riders and the gathered crowd away from me. He pales, "Hiccup." He murmurs sorrowfully. He gently moves his hands forward and takes his son from my grip. I want to protest, scream in frustration, make him let me keep him close, away from harm.

But my hands raise as he's taken away trying to go after him and I can't muster up any protests. "Astrid!" My mother's voice squeaks and there's a moment before her strong arms wrap around my shoulders in a tight hug, "Oh Thor, I'd thought I'd lost you." She whispers.

"GOTHI!" Stoick screams somewhere ahead of me. Hiccup! I have to see if he's okay! He has to be!

"Hi...Hiccup." I gasp and she shakes her head, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders.

"No, sweetheart, not now, _please_." My mother begs and wraps an arm around my shoulders leading me forward. She forces me next to the roaring fire in the center and my tired legs collapse. "I'm going to go grab something warm for you to eat. Do. Not. Move." She commands and walks off her stride purposeful.

The heat is oddly painful as it hits my frozen skin. I groan and curl in on myself wrapping my hands around my legs. I want to cry. I want to shout, I want to scream. I want Hiccup to be okay.

A hand wraps around my shoulder suddenly and I lift my head tiredly in surprise as Ruffnut sits down next to me, her hand around my shoulders in a tight sisterly way. Tuffnut sits down next to her and Fishlegs and Snotlout on my right.

I imagine they already tried and failed to get to Hiccup. I lift my hands over the fire my eyebrows meeting. Heat. It's foreign. But sweet. Ruffnut tightens her grip on my shoulders an unusually serious aurora around the twins, Fishlegs and Snotlout.

They don't speak.

Don't pry.

Or question.

Laugh, make jokes, argue, just sit there. Letting me know that they are there for me no matter what happens. My mother puts a hand on my right shoulder before she gently hands me the cup of...whatever it is. "I'll be around if you need me." She whispers before walking off who knows where.

I hold the steaming mug of...whatever and look forward dully.

Hiccup is dying.

There's nothing I can do-nothing _anyone_ can do but wait.


	8. Chapter 8: Tijike Again

**A/N:Hello pals! Welcome to chapter 8! Sorry for the wait! XD**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Tijike...Again

 _Toothless_ ,

"Hey!"

"Hello?"

"Wake up!"

"Wake!"

"He's unconscious, Bilbo."

"Wake uuuupppp!"

"Howling isn't going to do anything."

"Wake up!"

"For the love of-shut it."

"I COMMANDETH THEE: AWAKEN!"

"BILBO, SO HELP ME WE'RE GOING TO-!"

Screaming.

Fire.

Jink.

Unconsciousness.

Hiccup.

Is he okay?

I rip my eyes open snapping my head upwards a heavy metallic clang following. What? Where am I-? WHAT ON THE-? I yelp in surprise as I open my eyes and spot a neon yellow Terror staring into my eyes. He's _clinging to my face_. Smiling with contentment, the small dragon leaps away and scurries towards the edge of the cell the metal chain wrapped around his leg hissing as it's dragged across the wooden planks. Wait. No, no, no, no. Wooden planks? The ground rocks beneath my claws and I freeze.

"He's awake!" He declares happily.

Cell. Metal. Chain.

No, oh, _please no!_

My eyes quickly leap over everything. This is not the forest. The cell is dark, damp, and the floor is rocking beneath my claws. The wood is weathered and growing a fine layer of moss, everything is damp. A mussel is wrapped tightly around my jaw and I can feel a strap around my middle securing my wings to my chest. The saddle is gone. So is my tailfin.

I'm a prisoner.

 _Again._

Did Jink get Hiccup too? No, I won't go through with it again, I'll kill Jink, run my claws through his- "I'm sure you're confused." The high pitched irritatingly old man-like voice cuts through my thoughts and I growl lowly snapping my glare towards the small Terror.

"Not exactly." I hiss.

Oh, I am full aware of where I am.

 _Why? Why? Why?_

I strongly, as childish as it is, want to scream out on how this isn't fair. Jink didn't even let us fight, just gave us the illusion he would then crippled it.

The Terror, true to their idiotic nature continues, "Myself is Bilbo." He greets. My eyes twitch with slight annoyance. Ah, this Terror must have more brains than most, usually they just speak in third person for eternity _and drive dragons crazy_ with their speech incompatibilities. I sweep my eyes over the rest of the hallway.

It's dark, but I've adapted to the darkness. I can see almost perfectly fine. A Zippleback is in one cell glaring aggressively towards Bilbo, a Typhoomerang is shoved into another, and beside him is a Timberjack. Both dragons, akin to the Zippleback are glaring at Bilbo. Jink really has worked hard for his catch this time.

"Come on, don't be rude, do introduce yourselfs." Bilbo says voicing his request towards these other dragons. The Zippleback rolls her eyes in perfect sync. Bilbo, not put down in the slightest, growls happily, "That would be Ltia and Les. Between me and you, They're quite the rays of sunshine." Bilbo says and I hiss. I don't care!

 _"Shut it."_

Where is Hiccup? What happened to the battle! What happened?

"Well, that's just rude." Bilbo huffs and walks towards the edge of the cell curling into a ball with an angry huff. I glare at him for a moment before turning back towards the hallway. Why would Jink take me back, again? He knows that no matter what he does, I'm going not going to break. The Red Death played games with me mentally for years and I always fought back. Hiccup just broke me free permanently. He's my wings, the key to the prison that was her reign.

 _Where is he!?_

Jink didn't...no, Jink wouldn't kill him, Hiccup is of too much use to him. I hope.

Focus. You can panic later, T.

A pang of homesickness runs through me. I miss the simple days on Dragon's Edge, I miss Hiccup, Astrid, and how bad they are at being in love, Stormfly, the other dragons, Snotlout and his arrogance, Fishlegs and his always excited but serious nature and the twins. Tuffnut and his persistent carefreeness and Ruffnut and her wildness. I miss _them._

I release a breath.

Everything was so colorful then, now it has again, faded to black and white.

Focus. Please, focus.

How long was I asleep? My best guess is a few hours, maybe a day tops.

Did Berk survive? Did Astrid? Stormfly? Frustration pulses through me at the lack of answers. Until I escape, I'm not going to know. Or if I find Hiccup, if he's even on this blasted boat. If he's not...I don't know where he is. Panic flutters across my chest. So many questions and so few answers. Agh!

If I escape, everything will be fine again. If I can find a way to get of this mess. Everything is clinging to the stupid little word: _If._

 _If_ only I had fought back.

 _If_ only I hadn't been captured.

 _If_ only I'd seen that net coming.

 _If_ only I knew where Hiccup was- how he is.

 _If, if, if, if IF!_

Something is wrong, very wrong. I can sense it, almost feel it. Something nagging at the back of my brain and assuring me I should panic and everything is warping around Hiccup. Something is wrong with him. I don't know what it is. DId something happen? Is he in pain, if so, I can do absolutely nothing! _Agh!_

I stare across my cell towards the empty one in front of me, trying to take in some deep breaths through my anxious lungs. It looks like it was recently used, there's scorch marks everywhere. I sigh through my nose but don't lift my gaze. A Monstrous Nightmare going on a rampage probably.

Hookfang is a star at doing that.

Time passes slowly. The rocking of the ship is an indicator for the howling storm outside, probably snow. It's getting worse as the minutes pass by, if it picks up anymore speed the ship is bound to rip apart and we're all going to drown. Or freeze. Either can happen.

In complete and honest study there was a hundred and fifteen ways that the battle could have gone wrong. Or better. I've been silently counting for the last few hours. Admittedly, I wish I'd done something. I stood, to the side, without moving doing _absolutely nothing._ Hiccup did all the talking, the threatening, I was sort of stuck in a trance of fear.

 _Fear._

I'm one of the deadliest dragons and I was afraid. The last thing I can remember is Jink's cold fingers sliding across my neck then nothing. I want answers but I'm going to have to suck it up and deal with what I have: nothing.

I grit my teeth in frustration.

"You look frustrated." Bilbo says calmly nearby. I resist the urge to sigh in annoyance and tilt my head slightly to look at him. He's a chatter. Yay? The obnoxiously colored Terror flashes me a toothy grin revealing missing teeth. "We're all friends here. What troubles you, oh mighty Night Fury?" He asks with a slight mocking tone. Ha. Friends. Right.

None of your business, good sir.

I turn away from him and glare at the wall across from me. I am not in a talking mood. I want to find Hiccup and get out of here that's pretty much it. Having a long conversation with this Terrible Terror isn't very high on the agenda.

"Ah, come on, you're going to ignore me? That's childish." Biblo taunts.

Yup.

A few minutes pass.

"Well alright, last chance…"

I say nothing.

"Ah, come on! It has something to do with the dead kid our captor was talking about earlier, doesn't it?" Bilbo inquires and I stop glaring at the wall my eyes widening largely. Dead kid? _Dead kid?_

I turn my head slowly towards him, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest. _"What?"_

Bilbo lifts his head happily looking on the verge of downright giddy that he got me to speak again. "Well, he was talking about the kid he stabbed a couple hours ago. Tossed the dagger over there." Bilbo says and jerks his head towards the opening of the cell leaning more towards the right. Oh, no. No, no, no.

I squeeze my eyes shut pleading with every sense within me that my intuition is wrong. I glance over towards the dagger and freeze. It's long and covered in a substance, it's too dark to see exactly what it is but a sick feeling settles in my chest. "...He...what?" I growl and snap my head around to look at Bilbo. Dead kid? Did Jink….no. He wouldn't. He couldn't.

 _But he might've._

Biblo tilts his head slightly, "Well, after he locked you up he threw the dagger right there and said something like, "He'll wake up and realize that he couldn't defend his precious rider and that, that will break him,"" Bilbo says flashing a toothy grin.

 _"Couldn't defend his precious rider,"_

I freeze.

No, no, no, no, no.

Oh, no!

Hiccup was stabbed. He's dead or dying and I can do nothing!

 _Why?_

I squeeze my eyes shut and lower my ears. Hiccup can't be dead. I can sense it. I would know if he was. Besides, Jink could be lying. He's a master of deceit. He's not.

I grasp onto the small string of hope and cling to it.

000o000

After a few more long hours, Jink and a handful of men unload me and the other dragons and drag us into their ring after I put up the best struggle I can. The wind is howling by in repetitive gusts and it's to the point of screaming. The blizzard is not one to be taken lightly. Weather is terrifying when it wants to be, it's like the storm, too is mourning.

The room is large and barren except for dragons. It reminds me vastly of when me and Hiccup were captured by the dragon fight owners a few months back. There's only a handful of other dragons that weren't on the boat in here already. Two Terrible Terrors, a Deadly Nadder and impressively enough, a Skrill.

The chain attached to my right hind leg is dragging across the ground in a scratch-like pattern as I pace. It's slightly annoying but I push it to the back of my mind as I press onwards. Minutes tick by.

Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and back...and forth.  
"You know," One of the Zippleback heads says idly, I think Ltia, "If you keep that up, Night Fury you're going to create a large ravin in that general area." She says dryly.

"Pfft, there's no way that's possible!" The other argues.

"I was being sarcastic Les, but still."

Both pair of eyes turn to look at me, followed by the other dragons. Frustration pulses through me.

"And why do you care?" I demand turning to look back at her, coming to a halt. The chain clanks as it stops moving. The heads glance at each other from their defeated position on the ground, seeming to be having mental communication.

"We don't." Les assures.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes and move forward again dragging the chain with me. Les and Ltia sigh and rest their heads against the ground idly watching me. Bilbo moves forward, the only dragon without a ankle lock. Probably because he's too stupid to do anything.

"Ah, none of you are gifted with instant friendship with the lad like myself." Bilbo says proudly and looks over at me fondly.

" _Friend_?" I snort. _Friends_?! My _friends_ are on Berk. My _friends_ could be dying and I'm confined to a stupid room pacing back and forth until I do dig a way out or Jink decides to pay a visit _. This. Is. Going. To. Drive. Me. Mad_.

"Ab-so-lute-ly." Bilbo assures. We are not friends. I send him a sharp glare.

"Ha. You've got a temper." The Nadder says with a small snicker.

" _Funny."_ I hiss.

"Whoa there, I don't want a rampage of Lighting and Death Itself running over me. Keep a cool head there, laddy." The Nadder says and backs up slightly his chain scraping against the ground. I sigh in defeat slightly guilt running through me. I'm stressed.

I want to know if Hiccup's okay, and I may never know.

"Lighting and Death itself? Please, he's more like a grumpy overgrown cat." Bilbo says with a hint of humor. I glare darkly at him. Is that a challenge? Because I will prove to you that I can live up to that name perfectly fine.

 _"Hold Toothless."_ Hiccup's voice echoes in my head. I clench my jaw. _Calm. Down._ You aren't helping anyone by tackling anyone. I release a deep breath.

"Heh." The Nadder snickers.

"Cat? Nah, I'd say kitten." Les says and both heads burst into laughter.

 _Kitten?_

I glower at her with the most distaste I can muster.

"Don't test him, fools. I've seen Night Furies angered, it's not something to joke about, so _shut it."_ The Skrill, a deep male voice growls and immediately all jaws snap shut looking towards him. His deep brownish scales are gleaming in the snowstorm. He looks terrible. I mean, _terrible._ His scales look off pattern and his crown looks a little crooked. His wings are tearing badly at the edges and his eyes hold a hint of ancient.

Even in the time me and Hiccup did spend on Tijike, I wasn't ever really taken to their ring. This Skrill must've been here for months before me. Maybe years. I stare at him inquisitively.

The Skrill shifts its position slightly and looks towards me, "You look tense. No worries, we'll all be dead soon." He assures. I give him a deadpan look. He's...just a cheery one.

"Thanks, that helps."

The Skrill squints, "You'll make the master very pleased." He says and I growl in disgust. _Master?_ Oh, please tell me he's not talking about Jink? That man is not my "master" I belong to no one.

"Jink?" I murmur. "How long have you been here?" I demand. He's gone crazy! Downright mad! Jink is bloodthirsty, he's done something to this dragon. I will not let him repeat it on me. The Skrill pauses.

"A long time, Fury. Very, very long. I suppose you'll be the one to kill me." He muses with almost a sad tint. I doubletake.

"What? Why would I-there's always an alternative to killing." I argue. I'm not going to-no. No. I shake my head.

"Not here." The Skrill sighs. "You seem familiar with Jink but not his ways. I, myself, have fought many dragons. He takes the two strongest dragons here and makes them battle to the death, whoever survives is the champion and lives to fight another dragon. The guilt breaks you until to escape the pain you let him control you." The Skrill murmurs the last part and I freeze.

A battle of the fittest?

No.

Jink may try again and again but he will never break me.

"I won't do it." I promise. "There is alternatives to killing."

The Skrill stares at me for a moment before his eyes rest on my tail. His eyes widen and he looks up his eyes narrowing with hate. "Wait. I know who you are."

I still.

"You-you were captured by that boy! The VIking child. He cut of your tail." The Skrill murmurs. He rescued me. "T-the dragon without flight. The last Night Fury heir. _Destroyer of our Queen."_ The Skrill growls the last part and I blink in shock. Queen?

 _What?_

She was many things but a queen? That she was not.

"Queen?" Ltia snorts. "Where've you been for the three hundred years?"

"I was frozen in a glacier, when I escaped the Tijikes captured me, over two decades ago. I am Quinn, her second in command." Quinn says and lifts his bony chest up with pride. Bilbo's jaw falls along with mine, and the rest of the dragons in the room. Quinn. The Red Death mentioned his name once well I was there but it was never brought up again.

Second in command?

"He's crazy." The Timberjack hisses. "Someone knock him out before he drives us all mad."

"Wouldn't do much." The Nadder murmurs, subconsciously taking a step back. "There's something wrong that sleep won't fix."

Quinn looks at us all, offense ringing through his stance. "What? It's the only thing I've lived for! Traitors! Everyone is traitors to her!" Quinn cries.

"Are you insane!? The dragoness was a murderous witch!" I growl. Quinn laughs the sound is...wrong. It sounds scratchy and fake.

"Such disloyalty, though _, I would expect nothing more from you."_ Quinn growls. A dry snort escapes me.

"She _enslaved_ us." I correct.

"Aye." The Timberjack says.

"You claim me crazy but all of you are!" Quinn snaps. "And you," He says turning his bloodshot red eyes towards me, "You are a murderer. I know who your kin is. I promise you, NIght Fury, that when I am free I will hunt down every one that you care for and make you watch their torturous deaths."

 _I know who your kin is._

Hiccup.

No. I won't let this crazy dragon get to him. No, no, no, no.

I snort lifting my head up and hoping the panic fluttering through my heart doesn't show through my eyes. "Everyone I care for is dead." I lie through clenched teeth. Quinn laughs.

"Lies, Fury, all lies. They will all die, I promise." He hisses.

 _I know who your kin is._

I back up slightly staring at the insane dragon with what I can hope is the best glare I can muster.

No.

Not well my heart beats.

 _I know who your kin is._


	9. Chapter 9: Awake

**A/N: Sorry for the wait and the quality. This chapter is rushed. ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **I apologize for any grammar/spelling errors.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Awake

Hiccup,

 _"...You're always getting in my way..."_

 _"...Checkmate."_

 _"Don't leave me! Don't you dare leave me!"_

 _"...Please be okay…"_

 _"...shh, you need to stay with us,"_

 _"H-help…"_

Pain. Cold. Voice. Stumbling. Pain. Ache. Worry. Death. Stab. Cold. Pain.

Disconnected.

Everything is sluggish. I can't seem to grasp any power over my body, just awkwardly slipping in and out of consciousness. The state between is one I often remain in. It's one of the first times I can properly declare that my eyelashes hurt. I let out a soft groan slowly regaining life over my body.

It's like it fell asleep and now pins and needles are ripping over my muscles. Another small moan escapes my lips. Something is nagging at the back of my head, screaming at me that I need to focus on it.

As a sharp pain smacks through my chest and my memories break through the flood gates. The stab, Toothless's capture, Jink, snow, Astrid, freezing,...oh Thor _, Astrid_! I rip my eyes open and jerk into a sitting position gasping in the pain at my chest. It's a dull ache but still stings. "Easy, son," A strong thickly accented voice commands. A hand presses against my shoulder pushing me back towards the bed and I struggle. Astrid. Toothless. Berk. Thor what happened?

"N-n-Ast-d." I protest the words mixing together in an odd way. Frustration pulses through me quickly drowned out by panic. Astrid. Where is she? I wasn't totally awake when she found me but I was awake enough when she got there. Did she freeze to death trying to get me to Berk, Great Odin's Ghost if she's dead I will drag her back from Valhalla to kill her myself.

My dad lets out a heavy sigh and I look at him. Is he okay? Hitisha is a skilled warrior. I scan him for injuries but don't spot anything. No bandages just a few scabbed over cuts here and there. "Please just sit still, Hiccup." He pleads and I shake my head propping myself up on an elbow trying to sit up.

"No," I protest quietly. He looks down at me, the same stubbornness in his eyes as mine.

Is Berk okay? Did the battle completely destroy it? Toothless? Is he okay? Astrid said he was fine, so he must be around here somewhere.

"Hiccup," My dad protests gently, and firmly, shoving me back down on the bed again. "Astrid's downstairs, I will go get her _if you do not move."_ He gives me a stern look at the last few words and the relief that floods through me overshadows it. Astrid's downstairs. She must be okay-wait, downstairs?

My dad stands from the chair he's on and walks towards the stairs slipping down them. I scan around myself. I'm...in my house in my room. I scan around it for a moment for Toothless. Where is he? Astrid said that he was fine. But...I saw him get carted off by the Tijike's. How could he be fine? Did she rescue him? I...don't understand.

Sudden feet pound up the stairs and I lift my head upwards slightly as Astrid, followed by the other riders burst into the room. Astrid's expression floods in so many small gestures I can't catch them all, the most prominent is relief. "Hiccup!" She exclaims and moves forward laughing slightly.

The other riders gather around the edges of the bed and I stare at them for several seconds. Tuffnut has a thick bandage running across his upper left arm and Ruffnut's knee is wrapped in a similar way. Fishlegs has an impressively sized cut across his forehead and Snotlout's wrist is wrapped. I turn my gaze to Astrid. Her eyes are red but she seems relatively alright, no white cloth is wrapped around her, just exhaustion clinging to her figure.

Relief flutters through me. "Are you guys okay?" I croak softly.

"Are we-?" Astrid stops mid echo and shakes her head, "we're fine, Hiccup. We've been worried about you." She corrects and I pause my eyebrows meeting in confusion. Me. They were worried about me. Of course they were you idiot, no one can just take a blade to the chest and come out unharmed.

"Right," I say after a moment of silence wrapping a hand around my stomach. I can feel the bulky bandages through the clothing. "How's the village?" I ask.

Fishlegs taps his fingers together. "Well, it's going to need repairs for sure. The fire didn't reach it too badly it was mostly their boulders and arrows that did the most damage." Fishlegs answers. I nod. Good, it's not beyond repair. I can't believe Jink would touch Berk. It's an unnecessary evil.

I glance at Astrid again _, "Please be okay, I love you."_

"Can I talk to you?" I pause then glance at the other riders, "Alone?"

She nods and looks at them. "I'll be downstairs in a few minutes." She says and they nod walking off. As Fishlegs passes her, she grabs his arm, "Will you grab some chicken for Stormfly?" He nods and offers me a small wave before walking down the stairs.

Astrid looks at me again her expression growing soft. She sits on the edge of the bed fiddling with her skirt. I bite my inner lip trying to figure out how to phrase this best. Now that I'm more awake, the snowstorm is blurring through my mind. Astrid's strong arms wrapped around me, and her quiet whispers. The horror in her eyes as she stares down at me…

"Astrid?" I question softly and she looks up at me. "Thanks. For...everything." I say softly. "I've been a jerk recently." I admit. Astrid raises an eyebrow, I shrug, "Beyond that, then. I just... when I got back from Tijike I didn't realize that you guys were still...well you. Hitisha's a mind game player. She warps everything until you can't see straight. I'm sorry, for everything." I say quietly. My voice is slightly hoarse and I imagine if I attempted to raise my voice loudly it would be painful.

Astrid sighs and rests her hands on her legs. "It's alright. I may not understand what happened completely but you don't always have to be the strong one, Hiccup. At least, not around me."

"I know that. I just…" I look up at her, "Can I ask you something?" She nods. "In the blizzard and you found me and you well...you know. Did you mean it?" I ask _. "I love you."_ After all the crap I've put her through she still loves me?

Astrid bites her lip, "I do. Hiccup, you're my best friend. I meant every word." She assures and I smile slightly.

I give a tight smile, "Me tooo." I say. A silence settles over us, not uncomfortable just quiet. "How's Toothless?" I ask and Astrid stills her eyes widening with panic. Uneasiness flutters across my ribcage and I clench my fists. Is he dead? What happened. "Astrid?" I prod.

Her mouth opens and closes a few times before she hangs her head in defeat. "He was taken by the island. We searched but couldn't find anything, the twins followed a drag line to the beach, he's not here."

"But you said-" I start to argue. Astrid turns towards me.

"I lied! I had too, I couldn't lose you, Hiccup." Astrid says a panicking tone fluttering across her words. But-!?

"Toothless is-"

"Hiccup, please, listen, I didn't want to leave him behind. I didn't know where he was and if I'd waited any longer you'd be dead. It's a miracle you survived anyway." Astrid says and her gaze flickers to the bandages.

I shake my head, "We have to go get him!"

"Hiccup, you were just stabbed. You're not going anywhere, I will get Meatlug to sit on you."

"If the storm has stopped we have to go get him, I can make it," I argue and force myself into a sitting position, it aches like a dull bruise but not the stab of pain I was expecting.

"Hiccup-" Astrid starts.

"Astrid-"

"No." We both jerk our heads up in surprise at my dad's voice. He steps into the room and I deflate slightly but hold the sitting position. Astrid's hands fiddle with her skirt. "I won't let you go, Hiccup."

Frustration flutters through me, "But-"

"Your body is still weak."

"Toothless has already been missing for a few hours, we could intercept them if we tried hard enough!" I argue. Astrid and my father share a small look before Astrid sighs and turns to face me.

"Hiccup, it's been eight days."

My jaw falls. _"What?"_

"Your body could take the strain, you were already trying to heal from your other injuries and nearly freezing to death then it had a stab wound to deal with you slipped into a coma. We almost lost you over a dozen times." My dad answers.

"But Toothless-"

"For the love of Thor! Hiccup, that dragon isn't what the world revolves around!" Dad exclaims throwing his hands up in frustration, _"He's just a blasted animal!"_

I narrow my eyes and Astrid's hands fly up to her mouth.

No he's not.

"He's my kin." I say quietly. My soulmate.

My dad shakes his head slightly taking in several deep breaths, "You're not going anywhere. Astrid, go downstairs."

Astrid looks on the brink of leaping and running down the stairs but she galnces at me and resolve settles in her eyes, "No, I think I'll stay."

My dad shoots her his infamous glare. "Doesn't your dragon need you?"

"Fishlegs's is taking care of her." Astrid says lifting her chin in a slight show of rebellion.

My dad stares at her for another moment before realizing that unless he physically picks her up and throws her down the stairs that Astrid Hofferson isn't moving he turns back to look at me. "We'll get your dragon back, Hiccup. I've declared war on Tijike."

All my thoughts skid to a halt.

"You _what?"_

"We had to, Son. Jink stabbed you," My dad says looking back at me with a calculating gaze. "We're going after Toothless and wiping out his island. He declared war on Berk and I plan to give it to him."

"But-"

"No arguments. I've wanted to slide a sword through Jink since you escaped." My dad assures with a deep, darker tone. Astrid's eyes agree.

"What if Toothless was here, would you attack then?" I demand a panicking tone singing through my voice.

"Not as quickly, no." My dad says and my thoughts halt.

"You don't even know where Tijike is, do you?" I challenge. My dad turns back to me.

"I have a general idea." he answers. He looks at me, "Do you?"

I open my mouth to respond but stop. No, I don't. I too, have a general idea but no distinct location. I snap my jaw shut. "But if Toothless was here, you would wait until the repairs were made, wouldn't you?" I say and he nods.

"I would. But I saw the way they acted. Your dragon won't last very long." My dad says and a looming pit sinks into my stomach. Yeah. "My resolve is final. Our warships leave in two days. You, are staying here with Gothi. I'm not going to let you get killed in battle." He says and turns storming down the stairs.

Frustration pulses through me and I stare at my room for a moment.

I have to protect Berk, Toothless and Astrid. The only way I'm going to do that is by getting there first. I hear the door to downstairs slam with a heavy bang. Astrid glances over at me, "Tijike?" she murmurs then her expression darkens and she grabs a dagger from her boot and throws it across the room. It embeds itself on the wall.

"THE LYING, CHEATING, SON OF A HALF TROLL MUTTON-" She chants.

"What on Thor's name are you talking about!?" I interrupt. She turns to look back at me.

"That's why it looked so familiar. Me and the twins landed on Tijike, we searched the island, we were there." Astrid growls under her breath, "JInk said he had no idea who you were. I'M GOING TO WRING HIS NECK THEN FEED HIM TO-"

"ASTRID!" I yell and she pauses looking over at me. "Calm down, okay? Where is it?"

"A little past Breakneck Bog, why?" Astrid asks and I close my eyes my hasty plan already mapping itself out in my head.

"I just wanted to know." I say quietly.

Astrid sighs still looking frustrated but manages to hold her temper, "I can't believe we walked past it." Astrid growls and gets to her feet beginning to pace. I lean against the bed frame watching her pace back and forth again.

"Astrid," I say and she looks back at me, "do you think you can go grab some food from the Great Hall?" I ask and she pauses then nods.

"Yeah, I'll be right back." She says and glances at me, "You try and move from that bed and I'll show how good I am with knots." She threatens and I laugh uneasily.

"Yeah," I agree. She quickly scampers down the stairs and as soon as the door closes I swing my feet over the side of the bed and stand. I gasp slightly wrapping a hand around my middle before scanning around myself. I grab my coat from off a chair next to my desk and a satchel, filled with usual survival equipment. A trick I learned a few years ago and pause as I see Inferno.

This isn't going to be an easy battle. I need a weapon.

I grab the hilt and attach it to my leg before slowly working my way across the room. The stab, is a numb ache but it's still an ache. By the time I make it down the stairs I'm read to give up and collapse into a tiny ball and cry.

I shove open the door to the house and breathe a sigh of relief at my usual stroke of good luck. The village for the most part is void of people. I duck my head and stumble towards the docks. The blizzard was so bad that the ocean is frozen over.

My hasty plan: I can't sail a boat by myself and I don't have a dragon so, walking. I'm going to walk to Tijike. It's absolutely brilliant. Covered in sarcasm.

When I reach the docks, more than ten minutes later I stare at the ocean.

It looks uninviting and cold.

I hate cold.

I murmur something under my breath before stepping forward, the ice creaks as my weight is placed on it but holds otherwise. I take another step, and another and another and another.

Hours pass and I don't see any sign of the dragon riders or land.

Berk is good and well behind me.

It's just me, the cold ocean and my thoughts.

The sun sets in the horizon eventually ending the murky day.

I shiver as the temperature drops but keep pushing forward.

For Toothless. My dad, Astrid, Berk, the riders.

The ice creaks and cracks suddenly and I stop my hands flying outwards in surprise. But it was fine before! What happened.

The cracking grows worse and a panicked breath escapes my lips.

Wingbeats catch my attention and I look up slightly spotting the distant forms of Barf, Belch, Hookfang, Meatlug and Stormfly. I barely have time to process it before with a final groan the ice gives out under my feet and I'm pulled into the ocean below.

The water is freezing!

I struggle against the sea but my muscles don't fight. It's as if everything has frozen, I'm drifting aimlessly across the ocean, my feet trembling, fingers frozen, heart aching. My lips are blue, everywhere is numb, there's no part left of me unfrozen, cold, or dying of frostbite.

The water ripples through my clothing, biting into my skin and forcing me to wish I'd brought more layers.

Cold.

Tired.

I am so tired.

I lay my head down, my fingers feeling worse than before my lips frozen shut.

Frozen.

Toothless. He isn't here, he isn't safe, I want him to be here, but he's not. I don't want him anymore, I need him.

I'm sorry, bud, Astrid, the other riders and Berk.

I close my eyes.


	10. Chapter 10: A Mighty Explosion

**Author's Note: Hey, hey, hey pups! ;) =D**

 **Alright, I want you to imagine you have a fantastical story idea. Yeah? Great. So you're moving along typing it up when you realize, ah, nuts the characters feel off. Eh, well keep moving forward it'll get better. But it doesn't. So your stuck with an annoyingly so small OOC that it drives you crazy. You give up on writing and curl into a ball. Also known as the "sad potato". Yup. Summary of April for me. Anyways, I had no intentions of returning but I've suddenly been smacked over the head with inspiration so...boom. Chapter 10. So...updates might take longer or be shorter, stories may turn a tad bit darker, I am going to take hiatus's but...I am alive and returning!**

 **So, lets just pretend I was on a hiatus, m'kay? ;)**

 **But for me seriously. April. Has. Been. Not. Fun. At all. I won't bore you with long dramatic details and just keep it simple and say that. Man, I have missed Fanfiction so much its pathetic, I might cry. Anyway, onwards to the chapter, I'll do shout outs chpt. 11. ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I ownth nothing. If I did, HTTYD3 would be flippin' released by now.**

 **Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors! (I'm running on...two hours of sleep I think. *shrugs* who knows! XD)**

 _ **YOU ARE ALL AMAZING. 100% SO! =D**_

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Chapter 10: A Mighty Explosion of Death and Fire 

(Hiccup POV)

My lungs are tight, stretched and aggressively stinging in some areas. Almost as if I'm being smashed across my chest by something incredibly heavy. Maybe a heavy rock or two is laying across my ribcage. Breathing is impossible and oh how they _ache_. Thor, the pain is blinding. My muscles are limp and I can't say I have the energy worked up to pump them forward, again.

Struggling has all but died as the cold seeps inward, two watery hands tightening around my throat.

I'm gasping for breath but it only fuels the panic.

No air.

 _I need to breathe._

No air.

 _I need to breathe._

No air.

 _I need to breathe_.

Pressure, forin, is placed against my wrist and the water shifts around me suddenly. After a moment, the never ending blackness of said liquid ice ends and air is once again shown to my lungs. I gasp, choking and coughing every rib aching as I do so. The icy liquid falls back towards the body with a huge splash and air blows past me before I'm set on solid ground.

Another pants as quickly as I am and I lift my head up to look.

Astrid.

She's soaked and shivering but looks over at me with relief. I squeeze my eyes shut before slowly crawling towards her, "Are..you...okay?" I murmur. She nods several times and looks up at Stormfly who shakes herself off of excess water.

The other riders land on the sea stack we've taken residence on and they hop of their dragons racing towards us, speaking at the same time.

"Are you-"

"Thor that looked-"

"-Cold-"

"You two are officially banned from all of outside, you hear? _ALL OF IT!"_

I groan and collapse on my back staring up at the clouds. It's not snowing anymore, good for us. I can't work up enough energy to be properly excited about the fact. Astrid moans and rubs her arms together. I tilt my head to look back at her. She looks freezing.

Something smashes against my chest and I yelp jerking into a sitting position in surprise. I half expect a sword to be on my stomach but Tuffnut snickers and I move my eyes down. A blanket. _Oh_. It's not some new version of death. I nod in thanks and unfold the blanket wrapping it around my shoulders.

"S-snotlout…" Astrid chatters, "Get t-the Monstrous Nightmare g-gel out."

Snotlout nods and moves back towards Hookfang. Astrid turns towards me, "Are you okay?"

I nod softly. Guilt worming in my insides. She must've been worried- _beyond_ that. I...ditched her. Thor, that was a dumb idea. I really should have thought that through all the way. "Good," She murmurs rubbing her hands together again. Thor, when will I be able to think straight? I'm torn between my dragon and my family and Berk. I ran away and they _still_ saved me. Argh! _I am such an idiot._

Astrid moves forward and wraps me in a hug for a moment. Her soaking wet clothing drips onto mine but I return the hug with full force, relieved. I'm glad she's okay, I'm glad she saved me, I love her so much. I wish I'd thought this through. Astrid pulls back and her expression darkens before she swings her hand up and slaps me.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, YOU IDIOT!?"

I land on my left elbow the frozen ground digging into the limb. My face throbs with discomfort and I rub it in shock looking up at her. Yup, deserved that one. Sure, she punches me all the time but slapping? That doesn't happen very often. "Astrid I-" I start to apologize sitting up.

" _DON'T_!" She screams. "YOU WEREN'T THINKING! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! I THOUGHT THAT WHEN THE ICE BROKE I LOST YOU _AGAIN_! IS IT YOUR LIFE MISSION TO SCARE ALL OF US INTO BELIEVING YOUR DEAD, TIME AFTER TIME AGAIN!?"

" _No_!"

"I'M TRYING _SO HARD_ TO GET YOU TO TRUST US AGAIN AND YOU KNOW WHAT!? YOU DON'T TRUST YOURSELF! THAT'S THE PROBLEM! YOU KEEP PUSHING ME AWAY! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HELP YOU IF YOU KEEP RUNNING OFF, DISAPPEARING AND ALMOST DYING!?"

I shrink. "Astrid I'm sorry-I don't know what I-"

"STOP IT!" She screeches jumping to her feet and throwing the blanket off, "DO YOU NOT WANT MY HELP!?"

"No-I-I-"

"YOU'RE SO BLINDSIDED! YOU REFUSE TO LET EVERYONE AROUND YOU HELP! YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THREE FEET IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE!"

I narrow my eyes, some part of me is full accepting of her words, the other part however speaks faster, "I'm sorry, okay!? Is that what you want to hear!? _I AM SORRY_!"

"THEN STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM US! STOP FREEZING US OUT! I WANT TO _HELP_ YOU!"

I grit my teeth and tug on the edges of my hair, "I don't-" I stop biting my lip and looking up at her in frustration.

Astrid takes in several breaths then lowers her voice dangerously low, "Is this some kind of a joke to you, Hiccup? We go flying off into the sunset on our dragons in happy paradise so you can go get caught and be a drama queen?"

I stare up at her stupefied.

"Do you think I _asked_ to be caught!?"

Astrid laughs, but it sounds deranged, "I have high doubts. The cage may be open but you're not truly free." She pokes at my shoulder. "You're still hiding. You're hiding from us, you insubordinate idiot."

I shove her hand back, "And you wonder why I don't feel at ease." I growl.

Astrid narrows her eyes, "Did you ever stop to think what this must be like for me _-for us_ ," she gestures to the other riders who are silent; Ruffnut and Tuffnut's jaws are hanging. Snotlout's eyes are wide, Fishlegs looks painfully awkward as he stands towards the side. Astrid and are on our feet even though I don't remember standing.

I meet her furious eyes again. "You disappear for two months then crash back here, refuse to talk to any of us about it, cling to Toothless with your life, insist that your "Hiccup the Useless" again when you know full well that you're not. I get it, alright, things happen to us that change who we are but you are just hiding. All your doing is hiding and running."

I glare at her, "I'm trying to get back my dragon and stop a war, how is this a _bad thing_!?"

Astrid looks enraged again, "Because you're doing it alone! We're a team! We're supposed to work together, alright? What part of dragon rider _s_ do you not understand?"

"I didn't want to drag you into this."

"You didn't want us to come because you thought that we were going to stop you."

"You're here? Aren't you, why are you so bloody angry?"

She grabs my shoulders shaking them a few times, "I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!" She screams. The words seem to shock her and she bows her head her death grip loosening slightly and she looks down at the ground.

My voice dies.

 _'You need to stay with us. I can't imagine a world without you in it."_

' _I can't imagine a world without you in it, either.'_

And she _had_ to. I _knew_ that the other riders were alive-probably searching and panicked but _alive_. I _knew_ that even through everything I went through that they were still on Berk or Dragon's Edge. They didn't. A sudden crashing weight falls on my shoulders as I spin the ball in both directions. If Astrid had disappeared for two months...it would've been torture.

My eyes widen. I want to grab Astrid in a hug and hold her close and whisper I'm sorry until she punches me to stop. I want never let her go, I want to grab the other riders and apologize and beg for forgiveness on my knees at what an idiot I've been. I'm never like this _. Ever._

Jink had more than one effect on me. But not anymore. He can't control me anymore. He wont. I refuse to let him. Vikings have stubbornness issues and he's about to get a full blast of mine. No more. No more mental games.

"I...can't...lose you again." Astrid repeats, she looks close to tears.

My fingers curl and Astrid pulls her hands away from my shoulders, temper burned short. Astrid's fury cannot be matched, tamed, nor controlled; personally seeing Astrid truly furious is terrifying.

She lifts up her head softly, not meeting my eyes her voice barely above a whisper, "Hiccup, I love you. Even if you don't feel the same way anymore, I love you. When you didn't come back I cried so much. Everyone thought you were dead, I thought you were dead...and I...then you were stabbed and-and they said that you weren't going to last through the night. I don't want to lose you, without you I don't know what I'd do…"

Tears stream down her face and my heart gives a painful tug. I stroke a tear from her face and she looks up at me startled. I murmur an apology again before I wrap my arms around her in a hug and pull her close. She tenses before leaning into my touch burying her head into my chest. "I'm not going anywhere, M'lady. I promise." I whisper into her ear.

Astrid shoulders shake as she starts to sob and I keep her close. Letting her know that she's meaningful, she has me, that she's precious to me.

I could've held for ten minutes or ten hours and it still would've felt like it wasn't long enough to heal the mend between us. We've been stitching it since our battle in the arena and it is going to get better. Astrid eventually pulls back and looks up at me, crystal blue eyes brighter than I've seen them since I crashed into the cove.

"Well," Snotlout says abruptly and I barely manage not to jump. He sits down on the snow and uncorks a Monstrous Nightmare gel container, "If you two lovebirds are down screaming at each other, I for one am freezing."

Astrid smiles and rubs her nose with her sleeve. I sit down next to the poured gel and Snotlout waves Hookfang forward. Ruffnut and Tuffnut plop down on my left and FIshlegs next to Snotlout. Astrid sits down next to me on my right and the dragons curl up behind our backs. "Hookfang if you would do the honors." Snotlout says and gestures towards the fire.

Hookfang sends a blast of fire towards the gel and it smashes against Snotlout's helmet before landing in the puddle. Snotlout growls, "Hookfang." He hisses under his teeth.

I lift my freezing hands over the fire and murmur a sigh of relief. The other riders follow and have similar reactions. A few minutes pass in silence as the heat slowly seeps into our freezing bodies.

"I owe you guys and apology." I say quietly. All five heads look up at me. "Astrid's right. I have been a royal jerk. I'm sorry."

Ruffnut gives me an affectionate punch on the shoulder, "No worries, H. ." She shrugs.

I smile, "Thanks Ruff. I know I've been distant and cold I'm just not sure how I…" I trail off struggling to find the right word. "Fix it."

Fishlegs smiles, "Things take time Hiccup. But Ruff's right, you're more than our leader you're family."

I huff and my lips curve into a small smile, "I know. I trust you guys."

I trust them.

 _I trust them_.

I do.

Astrid grabs my hand and gives it a quick squeeze. "What's the plan, Dragon Boy?"

I blink, "... _Plan_?"

"We _are_ going to still going to Tijike, right?"

"You guys want to help me?" I ask in shock. They nod.

"Uh duh, hence why we are here, my fine fellow." Tuffnut says and I rub the back of my neck.

"Okay, that's great. The plan...erm…"

Astrid's face falls before she grips the bridge of her nose, "You mean to tell me, you planned to walk three hundred plus miles across solid ice and hope by _then_ you _had. A. Plan!?"_ She growls.

I shrug and give her a wry grin, "I suppose that's one way of putting it."

Astrid groans, "Ugh, you're such and idiot." There's no harsh tone behind the word this time, more a playful timbre like it usually holds. I smirk and nudge her with my elbow.

"But you love me."

Astrid rolls her eyes.

Silence settles over us.

We need a plan. I seriously have to stop with the whole, "I'll make it up as I go" thing. It's not working very well. My aching chest can atest to that. Okay, Tijike. What can I do about Tijike? Running away hasn't been working very well. I want to smack my head over a rock or two. Astrid's right. All I have been doing is running. The unwated, unintended swim in the liquid ice finally woke me up.

I subconsciously run a hand across the bandages on my chest letting the other tug on my soaking locks. Okay, okay, okay. Um...well me and Toothless got out because I finally found him. We got in...we got in because we were shot down that night. They blindfolded me tied my hands around behind my back and strapped me to the mast.

Ugh! If we could pretend to be prisoners then it would be so much easier. One of us could drag the others through the village and then we could make it to the prison, I could drag us through the building to where Toothless is we could free all the dragons and then flee.

 _Buuut_ , that won't work.

"Ah! I've got it!" Tuffnut declares. I open my eyes and look at him. He lifts his hands up grinning.

"We can steal a boat and pretend to be traders. Then when they walk onto the dock we grab their throats and-" he lifts his hands up twisting it for good measure, "then sneak onto the island."

I blink, "Um, Tuffnut-" I start.

"It's perfect, I know. You're all speechless with amazement."

Ruffnut whacks his head. "No we're not, you dimwit."

Tuffnut pushes his helmet up his head, groaning, "Ugh, you could've just said that, no punching necessary."

"Punching is _always_ necessary."

Tuffnut punches her and Ruffnut glares before tackling him to the ground."Okay, break it up you two." I command and they sit up straight pulling away from each other glaring but not attacking each other anymore. I sigh and rub my forehead a frustrated sigh escaping my lips.

Astrid looks up at me. "Hiccup?"

"Mmm?" I hum in question.

"...How.." she pauses, hesitatating, " _did_ you and Toothless escape in the first place?"

I look up at her, startled by the question. "Oh. I...uh…" I rub the back of my neck, "Smacked a guy over the head with my prosthetic then stole his sword and booked it." Astrid raises an eyebrow.

"Did it work?"

"...Yeah, actually."

Astrid rubs her temples shivering slightly, "Ruff Tuff, when we landed on Tijike did you see anything that might be a break in their security."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut look up at her and blink stupidly. "We've _been_ there before?" Ruffnut asks gesturing to herself, her brother and Astrid.

Astrid nods clenching her fists, "The Chief's name is Jink. He told us he had no idea who Hiccup is and sent us on our way."

"That sounds nothing like him." I remark offhandedly as the twins face's slowly dawn with recognition. Ruffnut smacks her fist into her open palm.

"That cheating-" She starts and Tuffnut, to angry for words just shakes his hands back and forth in a choke hold.

"Focus now, plan out his death later." Astrid commands.

Tuffnut taps his chin and Ruffnut presses her temples heavily as the two think back. I squeeze my eyes shut trying to pull back the memories from that night. I don't even remember glancing at the village let alone see if it had any weaknesses. I never thought I'd have to go back.

I don't _want_ to go back.

For Toothless. For my dad. For Berk.

I tug on the edges of my hair. The strands are freezing together from the cold weather and I tug the frost out. Come on, there must've been _something._

' _Arrows sail pass us, the wind is beating against us. Men are screaming at each other. Aim is being changed. Jink yells out a command of fire. Toothless twists around in a spin before diving forward._

 _No injuries, no casualties, nothing._

 _We're free.'_

I groan and grip the bridge of my nose. The escape was to easy. Jink _let_ us go. He must've ordered his men to miss.

 _Oh cats._

I never really saw anything but the arena, Toothless's cell and the prison. I had the wall across me memorized.

Ruffnut snaps her fingers suddenly and I open my eyes, "That's it!" She exclaims.

"What's "it"?" Snotlout demands.

"The caves. The caves under the island. Jink dropped something about it, he said: _"I haven't seen your missing boy above land or in the caves under the island, sorry._ ""

Astrid smacks a hand over her mouth, "Oh my Thor." She murmurs. "I completely forgot about

Tuffnut snickers. "Well that's why we went with you. We are the more retentive part of the group." He says and taps the side of his helmet, "Memories of steal."

I roll my eyes at his action and drum my fingers over the ground. "Okay, great. Now what? He probably has them guarded. Unless part of us causes a distraction, we aren't going anywhere."

Astrid runs a hand through her wet bangs for a moment and bites down on her lower lip.

"Me and Hookfang could do it. They'll see us coming and go running." Snotlout says and Fishlegs raises an eyebrow.

"Like they did on Berk?"

Snotlout lifts up a hand to retort and opens his mouth before slowly closing it.

Astrid lifts up her head and looks at me, "You know...Hiccup, you and I could cause the distraction as the others go through the caves to the prison."

I shake my head, "We'd be caught before we stepped on the island. He's seen you before and he _stabbed_ me. I'm supposed to be dead, remember?"

Astrid smirks, "He's seen _us_ , yes, but if we go in disguise we'll be fine."

Tuffnut clasps his hands together, "Uncover! Yes! I love it!"

We dont have any of the supplies we would need to accomplish that. I chew on my inner lip for a moment and rub the back of my neck, "I don't see that working…"

Snotlout presses two fingers together, "I hate to be "that person" but I agree with Hiccup."

Astrid groans, "Well what do _you_ suggest we do, Snotlout, then?"

Snotlout snorts, "Simple: We barge in there, dragon's blazing."

"But we usually do that." Fishlegs points out.

"Yes, but _he_ doesn't know that."

"I'm pretty sure he does." Fishlegs argues.

"Yeah? You can sense it?"

"I'VE GOT IT!" Tuffnut shouts and I look up at him. He's standing in his excitement, "We set the whole island on fire. It'll be glorious."

"They have defenses, Tuffnut. It's us six against with four dragons against Jink's entire army and island." Astrid points out dryly.

Tuffnut folds his arms over his chest and sticks his tongue out at her, "This would be a convenient time for us to be able to shoot fire from our eyes."

Astrid's fists curl and she narrows her eyes. Come on! It seriously can't be this hard to come up with something. We've attacked bases, boats and islands more than once before. We need a bigger army. But we have no time.

I rub across my chest. The wound suddenly _aches._ "Does anyone know where we are?" I ask and the riders stop arguing among themselves to look up at me.

Fishlegs turns towards Meatlug and opens a satchel pulling out a map. He tugs it open and lifts it over the fire, close enough to see but not close enough that it'll set on fire. "Um, well according to the map we're pretty close to Breakneck Bog. Why?" The Ingerman looks up at me.

I snap my fingers. "That's it!" I exclaim hope fluttering within my chest for the first time in days. "I've got a plan."

Astrid sighs with relief, "Great, what is it?"

I leap to my feet and race towards Stormfly, swinging onto her back. "I'll tell you on the way." I assure. She and the other riders get to their feet. She walks towards me and I hold out a hand, she takes my cold fingers and I pull her onto Stormfly, in front of me.

Astrid looks back at me for a moment, wincing, "Sorry for...exploding."

I blink. "Oh, uh, it's okay. I deserved it."

Snotlout tosses a bucket of snow onto the fire and darkness surrounds us. Not pitch black but enough that I can only see bare outlines of the other riders. Snotlout quickly climbs onto Hookfang and the dragons leap into the air, flapping their wings and turning in the general area of Tijike.

Astrid looks back at me, "What's the plan, Dragon Boy?"

I grin at the nickname and grip her shoulders, "We attack their main defense line."

"Are you _trying_ to get one of us shot!?" Ruffnut calls in outrage.

I smirk, "Yes, I am. Any volunteers?"

There's a beat as the twins stare at each other before two hands rocket upwards.

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 **Author's Note: =D There's been so much yelling in this fic its kinda silly. ;) Astrid and Hiccup stop yelling at each other after this chapter. In theory... Anyway, next chapter should be up within a week. Best guess is less time.**

 **If you wanna drop a review, its welcome. If not, that's totally cool to. ;)**


	11. Chapter 11: Wash Away My Colors

**Authors Note: OH MY FLIPPING CATS! 100+ REVIEWS! EEEEEE! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! *takes a deep breath* sorry, I've just never had a story get this high. I'm so excited! Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors**

 **WARNING: Violence and blood- When it comes to battles, I really _hate_ to get descriptive, I keep as clipped as I can. :) **

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**Shout Outs! XD**

 **katurdi: Thanks! I've grabbed Hiccup in more than one choke hold over the course of this story so no worries. ;)**

 **harrypanther: Yeah! It was high time Astrid exploded. Ruff and Tuff amuse me so much sometimes. Thanks for your review!**

 **Silverwood68: Erm...I'm debating about Daylight Wanderer, I honestly have no idea what I'm going to work on after I get WAMC done so we'll see. Thanks for your review!**

 **Flopy: Oh there, there *hands you a tissue*. ;) Thanks for your review.**

 **Guest: Thanks! I'm sorry to have disappointed you! April was just really hard for me, I wasn't thinking straight, I feel more like myself now, though. :) Thanks for your review!**

 **SkippyLongSocks: Ha! Nice name. Thanks, I appreciate your support!**

 **FanWriter02: Thanks! I work super hard for those feels! That chapter went through like, fifteen separate edits. (I'm not exaggerating) it's probably my favorite one, well beyond chpt. 7 Thanks for your review!**

 **FabinaForever11: :) Thank you!**

 **Thank you to everyone else for your interest! :)**

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Chapter 11: Wash Away My Colors

(Toothless POV)

 _I know who your kin is._

 _I know who your kin is._

 _I know who your kin is._

A frustrated growl escapes my throat once again as the sentence tugs at my brain. It's been a few days, yes, but nothing's gotten better. If anything, as the time has passed, Quinn has seemed more set on murdering everything.

He's always staring.

The room is dark, like usual. And damp, also usual.

With persistence, it's ignorable.

Sunlight is flickering through the cracks in the doors it's weak, barely there but there indicating that the sun is starting to rise in the distance. Marking...a week, two weeks since I was brought here. I don't know. The days have blurred into an endless stream of _long_. It's impossible to tell time here.

Occasionally, guards will toss in some fish. It's not enough to tell the days by but it's _something._ The clouds that constantly hover over the island make shadows seem to leap off the walls, it's always there. The sun rarely shines and when it does, it's brief, short, and doesn't share its warmth.

This isn't anything like the last time I was here. I could count the days easily, it was maddening, but I _could_. I knew where Hiccup was, I knew if he was alright or not depending on if I behaved or not. Everything was pretty straightforward. I have no idea where the Haddock is, I have no idea what happened to Berk, Astrid, Stormfly or the other riders. It's just an endless stream of I HAVE NO IDEA!

I'm going insane.

There's nothing to do but pace, memorize wall patterns and get left to your own demons. The voices that always persist in coming back. It never fully stops. It's maddening. There aren't many conversations spoken between us, Bilbo tries. Annoying as he is to start something hourly but it doesn't work very well.

Quinn's gaze is following me, again. He often does that, staring at me as if figuring out the most physically painful way to kill me, then drag me back from the dead to kill me again. It's ridiculous and honestly I'm on the bricking point yelling at him to stop it. But I don't. For whatever reason, I don't.

Quinn's glare is getting sharper, it's boring into my back with promises of murder.

I resist-barely-the urge to roll my eyes and twist my head to look back at Quinn. The Skrill narrows his thin red eyes lower, his pupils mere slits. I return the glare with equal force.

I do not like him. Period.

There's something just so...off about him beyond the fact that he's a broken minded slave of the Red Death. Quinn frowns, the edges of his back teeth showing in the process. I don't back down from my scowl though. I've been ignoring it for days now, it's driving my nerves crazy.

He's challenging me, silently.

I return it.

"I don't know of any way to shoot fire from your eyes." Bilbo says suddenly. I stop blinking in surprise to look down at the small Terrible Terror. Quinn's eyes widen with surprise at the sudden comment. It takes me nearly a full minute before I can muster up a response.

 _"What?"_

Bilbo snickers, "I don't know of any way to shoot fire from my eyes 'else I would've done it by now."

 _Oh_. Yeah, hilarious.

I return my glare to Quinn and the Skrill echoes me. "You two really _can_ stop that." Bilbo assures, he sounds irritated. A rare tone for the usually cheerful dragon.

"I will when little _kitty_ over here is dead." Quinn hisses. I narrow my eyes at the comment.

"And what of the others?" The Deadly Nadder-Tin-if I remember right asks. "What will you do of the other "traitors." He spits.

Quinn shifts his gaze to Tin for a moment. "Wash them out. Strip all their colors away. Make sure that they pay."

Tin hisses lowly, "You stand for your cause alone."

"He's right." I agree firmly, venom slipping into my voice. "There are none who believe her anymore."

Quinn hisses. "I will avenge her."

 _I know who your kin is._

"No," I correct lifting my chin up slightly letting my gaze bore into him. "You will die trying."

Quinn opens his mouth to retort heavily but pauses all of our ears lifting and twitching in sync as metal scrapes against metal and human footsteps ring up. Dread settles on the inside of my stomach.

Jink. He's back. Again. With a group of at least twenty by the sounds of it.

I glance over at the other dragons, seeing their eyes fill with dread slightly save Quinn. He looks absolutely ecstatic. Like he's never seen anything more exciting in his life. A gleeful chortle sounds from the ancient dragon, "Looks like your death will be quicker than I thought." Quinn pauses then. "But not as soon as I would like. Once your child is here, and he will be, I'll kill him, then."

I hiss lowly, " _You won't touch him!"_

Quinn laughs.

The room grows quiet, still. "We only need another dragon," Jink's voice sounds outside of the door. I still can't see him yet but he's close. "We need the most powerful at the head. Then we'll be ready."

"Yes, but I still don't like this, Jink. We need more time." Hitisha argues.

 _"We have no time_! Berk is bound to be here soon, to avenge the dead heir and we need to be ready. The men are already at their stations. We'll bring down their dragons, then we'll capture the island."

"Jink, you have the dragon, you killed the boy, isn't it enou-" The sound of skin meeting skin painfully sounds up along with a sharp female cry of pain and I can only assume that Jink slapped Hitisha. There's a moment of deadly silence.

"IT'S NOT ENOUGH!" The footsteps stop and heavy breathing fills the silence. Jink inhales forcefully, as if trying and failing to calm down. His voice grows dangerously soft."I want more. I need more. I won't let our island fall again. Where is the general?" Jink demands.

Hitisha's voice is cold, "He's preparing the men, like you told him to, _chief."_

"Lars!" Jink shouts.

"Yes, sir?"

"Tell General Grem to prepare a boat and a handful of men. We need the other dragon trainers."

"Yes, sir!" The man rushes off his footsteps echoing.

Hitisha hisses. "You _know_ that they won't be compliant. The child nearly died to protect them from you."

Jink laughs, "Then we use different methods, sister. You are the older one shouldn't you know this?"

I blink in shock. Hitisha and Jink are _siblings_? Jink is younger than her? _Since when_!?

Hitisha murmurs a deep curse under her breath before her footsteps ring forward again. She comes to a stop in front of the door and shoves a key into the lock. Every dragon visibly tenses at the sound of the metal grinding against the locks to open the door.

The metal door is thrown open and Hitisha stares at all of us, a hint of disgust in her eyes. But not _for_ us. Jink moves to stand next to the woman and Hitisha shifts to the side glaring at her...brother. The word "siblings" doesn't seem to fit them. The two don't even look related. Jink's hair is a deep black with the edges died a deep red. Hitisha is pale blonde. They stand at relatively the same height but Jink is slightly taller. Hitisha's icy blue eyes are narrowed as she stares at her younger brother. If looks could kill, ninety percent of all our problems would be solved.

Jink rings his hands together looking like a hatchling the first time it succeeds in flight; completely missing his sister's stare. Ltina and Les growl a curse under their breath and glare at him. The other dragons tense their stances, repeating the Zippleback's gesture.

The Tijike Chief seems unconcerned and smiles at his sister, "Well, what do you say? I'm thinking the Night Fury and the Skrill."

I tense. Hitisha's eyes stop murdering her brother and sweep over me and Quinn instead. She hesitates, "Jink, that's the only Night Fury in _existence._ We need to be cautious." Jink looks down at her, "If the battle is not turning in its favor than we should pull it out. I don't want to lose the chance we have with it."

Jink waves a hand, "Yes, yes, of course." A few men walk forward into the prison as Jink and Hitisha turn away walking off somewhere.

I turn glaring at Quinn, "Your plan is failing." I note.

Quinn's smile broadens, "Oh, you'll see, Kitty. You'll see."

The men move forward pointing their weapons at me and with the edges pressed against my throat, the men rip off the mussel and the chained wrapped around my left foreleg. I'm herded forward towards a door on the left of the front wall.

The men shove me through it, "Try not to kill each other too badly!" Bilbo calls to our backs.

Ha. Amusing.

The swords are released and I'm left to my own. Quinn is the same. The arena is similar to Berk in design with a netting of chains across the top. The floor is dirty and covered in soot and ash. Many fights have been fought here. The sky, true to Tijike nature is once again covered in thick clouds.

There's no evidence there ever _was_ sunlight.

Quinn hisses slowly. "You're crippled, Fury. This will be easier than I thought." I bite down sharply on my tongue as frustration pumps through me.

Where are my wings!?

Where are you Hiccup!?

I haven't seen the tailfin since I woke up. They must've removed it well I was unconscious. That seems like yesterday, but also years ago. I growl through my teeth lowly as we start to circle each other.

Quinn watches me with interest, "You have such passion, such youth. I wonder why you waste it on that boy."

I glare at him, still saying nothing. _Don't let him rile you into a red rage. Don't let him rile you into red rage. Ignore it, ignore it, ignore it. Focus on the battle, don't get distracted, keep a cool head._

Distantly, I am aware of Hitisha and Jink moving into a position to watch us from above.

Quinn's red eyes gleam. "You're so pathetic, you know that right?"

I only stare.

I don't waste it on Hiccup. It comes alive with him. I may be crippled, but he's my wings, my sky. Quinn's eyes narrow dangerously and he dives forward claws outstretched to attack.

I inhale slowly, letting my senses perk upwards, my eyes narrow as time seems to slow before with a jolt, I leap left and up away from the claws time snapping back into motion. My claws wrap around the chains of the ceiling and I stare down at Quinn as he bounces off the wall landing on his feet hissing.

Quinn flaps his wings powerfully and dives towards me again. I leap off of the chains and tackle the older dragon to the ground slicing my claws across his chest. Quinn howls in pain and shoves me back with his forelegs scraping the edges of my talons.

I grit my teeth refusing to howl out with pain. Quinn gets up, bleeding heavily, "I'll make you suffer. I'll find that stupid human child you're so attached too. You know I will, you're afraid. Trust me on this, Fury, he'll be dead within a fortnight."

Anger pulses through me along with a stroke of fear and I leap towards Quinn again swinging my claws out towards him in rage.

The dragon meets me with equal force and there's a brief struggle before Quinn leaps into the air and scrapes his claws deeply along my back landing on the other side. The pain blinds me. Hot waves of it crash over my head pulsing heavily and I stand still.

Breathe _. Breathe._ Am I breathing?

I suck in a breath.

Focus. This isn't over yet. I blink my eyes open slowly and Quinn cackles with laughter. "Oh mighty Night Fury the flightless dragon." Quinn snickers, "The _fight_ less."

I narrow my eyes angrily. No. I am not. I am not afraid of him. I won't let him hurt Hiccup, Stormfly and Astrid or anyone else in our little pack. I dive forward in an angered haze building up a plasma blast wincing as my shoulders move.

I ignite the spark and throw the fireball forward. It smacks Quinn dead in the chest and he tumbles backwards smacking against the far wall, moaning. I leap towards him stretching my claws out. Just run it across his chest and this will all be over.

He won't be able to hurt anyone ever again. He won't touch Hiccup.

A red haze tints my vision and I watch my claws grow closer and closer to the dragon.

 _'There is always an alternative to killing_.' my voice rings through my head and I hesitate. _'Hold Toothless.'_ I'm pulled back to the battle of the Red Death, as we tumble backwards unable to catch air. Hiccup's silent request for me to blindly trust him and I to him.

Hiccup.

 _"There's always an alternative to killing."_

I stop my eyes widening as I draw my wings in close to my chest and crash down next to Quinn my feet skidding underneath me as I struggle to find balance through the pain. My muscles groan, my shoulders are stining, bleeding badly.

I struggle to my feet slowly. Quinn flaps his wings once, fidgeting it seems before with a cackle he looks up towards the sky. A roar of thunder sounds and my eyes widen before with a roar, Quinn draws the lighting onto his scales and channels it towards me.

It smacks into me with such force I fly across the arena hitting the wall.

Pain.

It pulses through me blindly. Everything is hurting. Everything aches.

Then it slowly dims, enough for me to concentrate on something else beyond how much it stings.

I peel my eyes apart slowly looking up at Quinn. "PULL THE NIGHT FURY OUT!" Jink's roar startles me slightly and I blink hazily.

My muscles don't seem to be operating the way they should.

Quinn advances slowly, but my vision is blurry and I can't make out much more than his brown form slipping in and out of my vision. I grit my teeth moaning slightly at the pain.

Come on.

 _Get. Up. Get. Up. Get. Up._

I squeeze my eyes shut and when I open them, there are a dozen plus humans advancing slowly towards me, weapons pointed out.

No, no, no, no! I am NOT going back there!

Whatever strength that I have left rushes through my muscles and I leap to my feet gritting my teeth at the pain that stretches across my back. The Tijikes pause watching me for a moment. My vision is still hazy but I let out a roar in warning towards them.

 _Back. Off._

The men lift their shields and advance towards me. I build up a blast and fire it towards them. The effort is weak at the short time I had to build up and only a few are thrown backwards. I hiss angrily narrowing my eyes towards them.

The Tijikes stare back at their fallen comrades before turning back towards me. My gaze flickers from them for a brief second towards Quinn. He's watching from the sidelines, head cocked slightly as he stares at me.

A man swings his sword forward and I snap back into focus, diving back to avoid it. The edge of the sword scrapes across my chest painfully as my side smashes against the wall again and I grit my teeth at the pain, that one's going to leave a nicely sized bruise tomorrow.

A bola is throw towards my feet and I leap above it, aldrenerine is working through my system though, and my strength is slowly draining. A pain slices across the already deep cut across my shoulders and I roar in pain everything fazing out for a moment.

The weapon just scraped across the cuts on my shoulders.

I can't! _I. Can't!_

My muscles collapse in on themselves, everything pulsing with pain. My chest, my shoulders, everything. I can't escape, I can't get free, I can't fly, I can't do anything!

A human hand presses down on my head and I flinch heavily gritting my teeth at the pain. "Don't touch him!" Quinn roars. I lift my head slightly to look towards the Skrill before with an angry hiss the elder dragon swings his tail forward and smacks the humans away from me. I blink several times in shock.

He's...he's.. _.protecting_ me?

Quinn dives forward in front of my crumpled, bleeding form lightning crackling on the edges of his wings. I struggle to my feet behind him but Quinn doesn't even glance at me, just lifts his wings upwards to look bigger.

Everything is still blurry and I'm starting to dwindle on unconsciousness but force myself to stay awake. Sounds of battle blur around me, Quinn redirects lighting towards the Tijikes, time passes quickly as I struggle to stay conscious before Quinn gives a screech of pain, screaming at it.

I lift my head towards the dragon as he crumples down lighting jumping across his scales for a final time.

"Quinn!" I shout, _"Quinn!"_

Jink lowers his sword, Hitisha swinging her double bladed one back, she and a handful of other men watching us for a moment. I shove my muscles forward, dragging them across the ground towards him. The Skrill lifts his head slightly, smirking, "Why?" I beg. Why? Why? Why? You're supposed to hate me!

Quinn hisses in pain, "It...would...appear you have freed me...to…"

He lays back his head. He's. _..dead_.

He died to save _me._

There's a moment of bated breath. "It's dead." Jink declares swinging his sword in a spinning motion. I turn my head to look back at them glaring. Jink lifts his eyes to me, deep brown ones staring into mine. "Now grab the Night Fury and prepare the ships for battle."

A rope wraps around my neck and I hiss slightly before several others make their mark, I pulled forward blindly towards wherever. "Grab a healer." Hitisha adds the command after a second of watching me.

 _Pain. Pain. Pain._

I force myself to move forward the tugs the only thing keeping me from slipping out of consciousness. I want to fight! I want to break free!

I want out!

The tugs stop suddenly at the sound of pounding footsteps. I turn my head slightly to look back as a Tijike soldier rushes up to Hitisha breaths coming out as gasps. Hitisha grabs his shoulder before he collapses over, "What is it!?" She demands.

The man takes in several more gasps for breath, "Dragon riders! Coming in from the south!"


	12. Chapter 12: Attack On Tijike

Chapter 12: Attack On Tijike

(Hiccup POV):

"DRAGON RIDERS COMING IN FROM THE SOUTH!"

I squeeze Astrid's shoulders tighter releasing a deep breath. Tijike is a good twenty feet away at the most. The surrounding wall is starting to dot with little fires as the men prepare their flaming arrows.

It looks almost exactly how I remember it. Dirty, wet, and surprisingly vegetated. There's a huge forest on the left that the rising sun is gliding down across making the water droplets glitter. I gnaw on my inner lip and Astrid looks back at me, giving a reassuring smile.

 _I. Hate. Tijike._

I never wanted to see the island again, the idea of curling up with a blanket burying my head and pretending the world doesn't exist is starting to appeal more. With Toothless. And Astrid.

"FIRE!"

Seventy plus arrows sing through the open air towards us.

"SCATTER!" I command and Astrid tugs Stormfly's saddle upwards spinning. The other riders split apart and the arrows sail past us.

"READY YOUR ARROWS!" A commanding officer from the island roars, "PREPARE THE CATAPULTS!"

"Hiccup!" Astrid cries in distress looking back at me. "This isn't going to work!"

Barf and Belch glide up next to us followed by the other dragons. Alright, c'mon Hiccup _. Think, think, think…_

Obviously, the first plan is not going to work. I mutter a curse in Latin under my breath heavily before looking up. It was just sort of an idea, a rough draft. That is why plan B is always more thought out than A. Usually, they're "adjust as needed".

We need them to think that we retreated. It would give us an advantage and some time. We need to leave the dragons out of danger, who knows what Jink will do if he gets his hands on them. If we make for the forest and send the dragons off no one will be able to tell a difference from this time of the day. If we hurry.

I duck and arrow and toss my long bangs from my face, "Grab your weapons and make for the forest!" I yell. Astrid looks back at me, surprised but nods not questioning the order.

"Go!" Astrid commands. The other riders break apart spinning and diving to avoid the counter attacks. Me and Astrid duck a boulder and said Hofferson clenches her teeth twisting around to look back at me, "I hope you know what you're doing, Dragon Boy!"

I tighten my grip and shake my head, "Do I _ever!?"_

Astrid sighs...and repeats my earlier curse.

"FIRE!"

Another wave of flaming arrows whips through the air and Astrid and I both duck close to Stormfly's back. Astrid grabs Stormfly's saddle and turns her in a steep sideways dive towards the trees. The flaming arrows sail after us, but with Astrid's flying and Stormfly's quick reflexes, they don't touch us.

I narrow my eyes as the ground comes closer and with a quick inhale, I grab Astrid's shoulder swinging off of the dragon hitting the ground in a low crouch, pain shoots up my legs but I ignore it turning to look back as Astrid jumps off of Stormfly's back a second later, axe in hand. Snotlout and Fishlegs land the latter of the two heavily panting. Astrid blinks.

"Where are the twins?"

Snotlout and Fishlegs share a look, "I dunno." Snotlout answers. His voice is serious, holding a level of focused that isn't seen very often.

I clench my sweaty palms trying to calm my racing nerves. What if they were caught? Did they get hit? I told you it was a bad idea, Haddock. _Shut up_.

"HICCUP!" Tuffnut screeches. I whip my head around looking back as Barf and Belch coming speeding down towards us a blur of color. Before they even hit the ground, Tuffnut jumps off of Belch's neck landing heavily on his knees gritting his teeth. I hardly pay attention to the small detail my eyes wide as I stare at Ruffnut.

Tuffnut is clutching his sister close to his chest and she's offering no struggle. Her eyes are tightly closed and Astrid inhales sharply as she spots the same thing I do. Sticking out of the older Thorsten's shoulder is an arrow.

Fishlegs's breathing picks up rapidly. "Oh Thor." Astrid breathes.

I move forward as if pulled by strings, "Bandages, we need bandages," I say and turn back to Astrid, Fishlegs and Snotlout who stare at me. " _Did no one bring any!?"_

Astrid snaps back into gear running towards Stormfly. "Tuffnut you need to set her down we have to pull the arrow out." I say and Tuffnut nods stiffly his eyes wide and distant. He kneels on the ground slowly and sets his sister down.

Ruffnut groans slightly and her eyelids flutter but she otherwise remains limp. I step to the side as Fishlegs moves forward. We all have a basic medical training, when you live on an island that used to be attacked by dragons on a weekly basis, you kind of half too but Fishlegs and Ruffnut are on top of all of us in the medical department.

Astrid tosses the bandages to Fishlegs and the Ingerman boy catches them a second later. "Tuffnut you're going to want to hold down her arms and torso." Fishlegs instructs quietly. Tuffnut nods stiffly and leans forward securing the limbs.

I grit my teeth and look towards the left slightly as Fishlegs wraps his hands around the arrow shaft. Ruffnut lets out a shriek a second later and shoves into a sitting position slapping Fishlegs. "Odin's Ghost, pal!" She shouts angrily.

Fishlegs rubs his face, looking at her like she offended his mother. "Hey! I was only trying to help."

Ruffnut moans and grips her shoulder before turning her gaze right to look at Tuffnut, "Next time, just _duck_ idiot." She rips the bandages from Fishlegs with her good arm and stands, looking tired but fine.

"Ruffnut-" I start to protest and she looks up at me scowling angrily.

"Save it, pal." She lifts her left hand up, wincing before unrolling the bandages and starting to slip them around her skin. As soon as she's done she sighs in slight relief before looking back at us like nothing happened.

This is all your fault Haddock. If you hadn't dragged them along then Ruffnut would be fine. If they hadn't come after me, I'd be dead. They _wanted_ to go. But if they didn't...just pitying you. _Shut up. Get. Out. Of. My. Head._

I shake said head slightly to clear my thoughts before looking back at my team. "Send the dragons into the air, tell them to loop around the island." I command. The other riders stare at me dumbfounded for a moment.

"I'm sorry...what?" Tuffnut asks.

"Oh, sure, genius. Let's send our _fire breathing_ companions into the air, away from where they can help us so we can _ALL_ get killed. Truly, a masterful plan." Snotlout comments. I, true to my skill set, ignore him.

I glance behind us towards the towering wall. "Send the dragons up, we need them to think we retreated."

Astrid's eyes dawn with realization, "The sun is rising, if we send them east Tijike won't realize we aren't on them because they can't stare at the sun." She thinks aloud.

"Oh," Fishlegs breathes. He turns and waves Meatlug up towards the sky. Ruffnut, Tuffnut Astrid and Snotlout quickly follow with their dragons and soon it's just the six of us standing here. Astrid grips her axe tighter, her fingers death gripping the hilt.

"We need to get to the prison. Ruff, Tuff, I need you to get to their great hall and distract Jink and Hitisha." I say looking over at them. Truthfully, it would just be easier to have them come with us but with Ruffnut's shoulder I don't want to risk it. "I don't care what you do, just keep them in there." I command. "The village is that way." I point north in it's general direction.

Ruffnut smirks. "On it. C'mon bro." She commands and grabs her brother's shoulder with her left hand dragging him with her.

"Oh! I have the perfect plan." Tuffnut assures grinning widely. "How about-" their voices quickly drown out as the siblings breaking into a run away from us.

"Alright, the rest of us are going to the prison. Toothless should be there." I say and Astrid nods.

"Lead the way," She says gesturing ahead of us.

Fishlegs sighs, "I have a bad feeling about this."

000o000

After nearly an hour of stressfully working through the forest, stopping to listen to sounds and ducking at unreal attacks we finally break into the village. My nerves are jumping so high it's starting to get ridiculous.

I stare at the town. The houses are messily placed with what seems to be no order just where you can fit it. The town square is mostly empty, save a few women and children in it. I hum under my breath moving left. "It's this way." I say memories of my last encounter here permanently engraved into my brain.

I had to find my way to the prison barefoot with a giant burn across my back last time. Now, it's a stab wound. _Hooray._

I bite my lip heavily to keep the thought from making it to open air before moving forward silently. I'm can't really remember what it feels like to not be running on adrenaline anymore. After what I'd guess ten minutes, we finally make it to the trees surrounding the entrance. Two guards are stationed outside of it, looking incredibly bored.

The first is picking at his ear slightly and then pulls his hand back his eyes widening with surprise. After clearing his throat, (rather awkwardly) the man wipes the earwax on his chestplate. "Ugh, Garry, you've _got_ to get that checked out." The man next to him groans.

"I don't know what's up, there's just always so much of it." Garry sighs.

I narrow my eyes a deadpan look crossing over my face. Astrid narrows her eyes. "What's the plan?" She hisses.

"We need to get past the guards." I answer. Honestly, I doubt that they'll be much of a challenge.

"Let me-" Snotlout starts to but Astrid slams her axe into his chest.

"Hold this."

She leaps over the brush we were hiding behind, "Astrid-" I start protest, a wave of protectiveness for her washing over me. By the time the last syllable escapes my lips, Astrid's already leapt onto the not-Garry guard. She wraps her arm around his neck in a choke hold and Garry lets out a very unmanly squeak of surprise.

Astrid swings her leg forward tugging not-Garry to the ground and kicking Garry away. Garry groans in pain then grabs his sword from his sheathe lifting it up towards her. Astrid leaps backwards pushing on her hands before she shoves up and twists through the air landing on the man's chest. Garry goes down on the ground hard, smacking his head against it, unconscious instantly. Astrid catches the falling sword and turns back to us.

"C'mon." She hisses shoving the sword into the ground and grabbing Garry's keys.

I blink several times in surprise and Snotlout sighs, "Oh she is so awesome."

No kidding.

We move towards her in a daze and Astrid rips her axe away from Snotlout as soon as he comes close enough shoving the key into the lock. She swings the door open revealing the dark hallway. My eyes widen as I see it memories crashing through my head. Being dragged up and down the hall-pain, so much pain.

Astrid rests a hand on my shoulder as if sensing my thoughts and gives it a quick squeeze. I look back at her giving a tight lipped smile. We move forward, me leading the group. My peg makes a soft _clank_ every time I step, so I place most my weight onto my right foot.

We're silent as we slide through the halls, passing the empty cells. There's a pattering of feet that follows us everywhere and in the silence, it might as well have been screaming. After a few minutes it still doesn't stop. "Snotlout," Astrid hisses, "quiet down or so help me-" she starts to growl.

"It's _not_ me!" My cousin argues. "Fishface-"

"I'm not making it either." Fishlegs defends.

"But if I'm not making it, and you're not making it, and she's not making it, and Hiccup's not then who-" Snotlout starts.

I come to a halt in front of a cell me eyes widening. Astrid smacks into my back and I stumble a step, "What is it?" Astrid hisses.

"No, no, no," I chant under my breath grabbing the edges of my hair and tugging at it.

"Hiccup-" Astrid starts again.

" _He's not here."_

"What?"

" _Toothless isn't here,_ Astrid." I answer looking at the empty cell in horror. My eyes sweep across the rest of the hall. No dragons, no nothing. Toothless isn't here. Did they move him somewhere else? Did they...kill him?

Astrid's blue eyes widen and something catches her eye above us before she gasps, "Hiccup look out!" I snap my head upwards before a figure shoves me to the ground slamming their knee inbetween my shoulder blades.

"AGH!" I yelp in pain before a hand rips at my hair pulling a dagger to my throat.

"Hey!" Snotlout protests, "Get your hands off him you filthy little-"

A hand grabs Snotlout's arm and within a few seconds and a few punches, Astrid, Fishlegs and Snotlout are all unarmed and struggling in the grip of a Tijike soldier. The man grabbing my scalp tugs me to my feet, keeping the dagger firmly pressed against my neck.

I inwardly curse. A trap. Of course it's a trap. The man behind me breathes sharply and I gag. "Well, well, well," Jink laughs and a dozen or so torches light immediately the dark shadows are swept away light taking their place. Hitisha and Jink stand at the front and towards the back I spot Ruffnut and Tuffnut gagged and manacled.

Jink moves forward smiling happily, his eyes resting on Astrid, Snotlout and Fishlegs, "When the Prince of Booliga and his loyal ambassador visited me I knew something was up. Of course I knew that you'd be here to avenge him at some point but so soon? I mean really, you have some dedication to your island's dead hei-" his voice stops as his gaze sweeps towards me and for the first time I've seen him, Jink looks surprised.

His eyebrows shoot into the air highly and his stance is rigid.

There's a moment of silence.

"You're supposed to be dead."

I offer a wry grin in response. If I talk, I'm pretty sure that the dagger with go through my voice box or something, it's deep enough. Jink narrows his eyes and nods slightly to the man behind me. He pulls back the weapon and Jink frowns moving forward.

"Well you certainly are hard to get rid of, I'll say that." Jink says gritting his teeth and grabbing the hilt of his dagger.

"Yeah. You can go talk to the last seventy people who've tried to kill me about it; it must be so frustrating." I say in response. Jink's eyes flash with anger.

"Oh, that smart tongue. I'll wipe it off you. Your spirit's fun to crack." Jink says. I grit my teeth glancing at Astrid, my cousin and Fishlegs.

"Jink, listen, I'm the one you want. Just let the others go, alright? They didn't do anything to-" Jink swings his sword around and pain rocks through my cheek.

"SILENCE!"

It takes me nearly a full two seconds to realize that he smacked me with the butt of the weapon. A hiss of pain escapes my lips and Astrid growls angrily.

With a roar of fury, she rips away from her captors grip and full on tackles Jink. The soldiers around us tense drawing weapons but Hitisha stops them with a raise of her hand. Jink shoves Astrid back pulling out a dagger. Astrid's eyes are narrowed with anger, "Touch him again and I'll kill you." She promises.

Jink rolls his eyes, and with a free hand grabs the back of Astrid's braid and gives it a firm tug pressing the tip of his weapon against her neck so deeply a thin red line bleeds out. "Astrid!" I shout in panic and worm against my captor's grip.

"Move and the girl loses her head." Jink states. I freeze, watching her with horror. Not Astrid _...please not Astrid…_

"Hey! You-" Snotlout starts to protest but Jink presses the blade deeper and Astrid hisses at the pain.

"That," Jink says coldly, "Includes talking. Take them to a cell." Jink turns to his second in command his words a mere snarl, "Hitisha, take Hiccup Haddock to the executioner's block, he has a missed appointment there."


	13. Chapter 13: Betrayal

**Authors Note: FINAL CHAPTER! PALS!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors!**

 **You guys are all awesome!**

* * *

Chapter 13: Betrayal

 _Thump, thump, thump._

Flutter, flutter, flutter.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

Its attacking my ribcage without mercy. My heart. Its rattling against its prison begging to be free, pleading, whispered cries. Broken wings stretched out to fly. Feathers ruffled, darkened and exhausted. There is no flight. Where are my wings?

I never said that I wanted this. No one ever asked me. There wasn't a warning, someone yelling, "heads up!". Nothing. It was dumped over my head suddenly and now, I have to deal with it. Thanks a million, Jink.

I tried so hard and it's for nothing.

I'm heading to my death.

I am going to die today. No elusive escapes anymore.

 _Flutter, flutter, flutter._

Hitisha's fingers are wrapped around my upper arm tightly as she drags me forward. We left the prison nearly half an hour ago, Jink and the rest of the men stayed there. It's just Hitisha and I. Dread is sinking into my stomach and finding permanent residence there. I sigh through my teeth slightly staring at my foot.

After everything we did to get here, it's all for not.

I broke and rebuilt trust, nearly died a handful of times, and still haven't apologized to my dad. At least, I'll be back with my mom. I can finally meet her. It wasn't supposed to end like this. I was supposed to marry Astrid where we would live long fulfilling lives together before dying of old age. Now…

And Toothless...oh, Thor, Toothless. I tried so hard to get him back, to reunite with him. It's not going to happen. None of it is. Because I am walking to my death.

Hitisha suddenly rips me to the left and I let out a protesting grunt in surprise before she stops and grabs my shoulders to keep my still. We're in some sort of dark overhang maybe an alley? I wasn't paying too much attention. I look up at the blonde for a moment my eyebrows meeting in confusion, "What-?" I start to question. She lifts a finger to my lips effectively silencing me. Her blue eyes are wide as she stares at something, her lips are pursed tightly, she looks relatively stressed.

Hitisha scans around us for a moment her eyes seeping in everything before she nods to herself, as if confirming something. With that done she pulls back her hand and looks at me. "Hiccup, you have to trust me." She whispers, the sound is barely above a whisper.

My thoughts skid to a majestic halt.

I gape. " _Trust you!?_ Are you _kidding_ me! You tried to kill me! You tortured me, attacked my island, you stole my dragon! How am I supposed to _trust_ you!?"

Hitisha gives a pained smile. "I can't apologize for my actions, but I do regret them-this isn't the point. We don't have a lot of time, Jink will get done gloating soon and you and I have to be long gone."

I raise an eyebrow ripping away from her grasp. Part of me is tempted to bolt, but I won't make it very far. ""We" don't have to do anything." I promise. Hitisha's eyes flash with frustration before she inhales deeply.

"I'm _not_ taking you to the executioner's block."

"So...you're kidnapping me?"

"No," Hitisha rolls her eyes, "I'm _rescuing_ you."

I blink several times. This...is the same woman from before right? There's no way...she was so...heartless. I don't understand. Hitisha bites her lip heavily before resting a hand on her sword hilt.

"Listen, I'm Jink's older sister, my birthright is Cheiftess but I turned it down to raise my son. My husband and him went out on a hunting trip and didn't come back." Hitisha releases a breath her eyes darkening, "Jink murdered them. I just discovered a few days ago, Hiccup I promise you that whatever happens, I won't let him win, he's berserk. His reign is over. My people agree, at least a large majority of them."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"A rebellion needs a cause...and you're it." She says simply. "I'm going to take you to your dragon...he's injured though, badly-" my chest tightens, "-my men are releasing your friends as we speak."

I blink, "Hitisha...what changed?"

She smiles sadly, it doesn't quite reach her eyes though."You. You remind me of my son. There's something about you that rises a cause. On my command, my army and I are ready to help you all escape."

I wring my tied hands.

You have to trust me.

 _"Oh, sweetheart, they aren't coming for you."_

 _"Your dragon? He belongs to Jink now, just like you."_

 _"There's nothing that you can do, Useless."_

You have to trust me.

I look up at the woman releasing a shaky breath. What do I have to lose? If she's lying I'm about to die anyway. If she can take me to Toothless and help everyone else…I have to take the chance.

"Fine." The word slips through my lips like poison, my voice sounds exhausted and my heart is hammering. Hitisha nods and pulls me forward, grabbing the rope wound around my wrists.

"Were almost to the Arena. When you and your dragon are situated, I'll call on my ally's."

"What about the others?"

"As I said, my men are freeing them as we speak."

I nod and after a few minutes of weaving through building alleyways we step into the arena. It's built similar to Berk, save the ring of metal across the top, rather than chains it's just straight metal. I stare at it for a moment, a feeling of homesickness washing over me.

Hitisha turns back to me, dagger in hand. Despite myself, my pulse picks up speed as she raises the weapon. I turn my head left as she swings the weapon down. The ropes snap across the twine splitting into separate parts. I breathe a sigh of relief at the feeling of them being free and glance at the older woman. "Thanks." I say.

She nods, "The Night Fury is in there. I'm going to keep an eye out." She says and shoves the dagger blade into my hands."You'll need this."

The weapon is off balanced in my hands but I nod in thanks anyway looking forward towards the cell Hitisha pointed at earlier. I move forward my heart rattling against my ribcage.

 _Flutter, flutter, flutter._

I push the door open and blink several times at the darkness my eyes sweeping over everything for my dragon. Please don't let this have been a joke. I plead in my head silently before moving forward the weapon clutched in my hands so tightly my knuckles are white.

A shape in the corner makes me freeze in my step.

Toothless.

The black ear flaps lift as I take a step forward on my right foot. My feet move forward, almost robotically. "Toothless?" I whisper softly. Toothless's head whips into the air, green eyes shining against the darkness. He stares at me for a few seconds not seeming to really be processing the fact that I'm here.

I move forward towards him collapsing on my knees in front of his head and wrapping my arms around his neck tightly. Toothless lowers his head on my back cooing softly as he ruffles my hair with his breath. "I've missed you, bud." I murmur into his neck.

No, everything isn't okay, Hitisha may be lying, the other riders need to be rescued, we have to find the dragons but for the first time in awhile...it feels like it's going to be. I pull back at length and stare at Toothless for a moment.

His eyes are wide with happiness and he gives me a gummy smile. I grin in response and grab the edges of the mussel wrapped around his mouth, "Let's get this off you." I say quietly before giving the leather a hard yank. Toothless sighs with relief and I turn grabbing the dagger I dropped a few minutes before shoving it onto my belt. Toothless's eyes don't leave me and I turn giving a small smile.

I get to my feet, wincing slightly as the pain racks across my abdomen. Toothless's eyes narrow as he watches me before he finally seems to notice the bulk across my chest. He gets to his feet, shakily and shoves his nose into it. I yelp in pain and surprise as he does so my eyes widening as I finally spot his shoulders.

Deep cuts are across the top of them, scabbed over but it will still take a few days before he can move them in a semi comfortable way. Dragons have a faster healing factors than us, bones take a few weeks but these are deep. "Oh Thor what did they do to you?" I whisper softly. My hands raise and I press a hand against the wound.

Toothless flinches but looks at me, eyes wide. They're stitched together lazily like the person in charge was in a hurry or only did enough to keep Toothless alive. I pull my hand back and clench my fist. A loud stream of voices makes me tense and I turn my eyes wide as I stare outside the cell door towards the sound.

Toothless growls and wraps his tail around my feet shuffling in front of me, wincing at every step. I bite my lip heavily. Gullible idiot! Of _course_ Hitisha isn't going to help you. So then why did she give me a weapon _and_ Toothless!?

The stream of voices gets louder before I spot a dozen or so people entering the Arena. I can't spot Hitisha but nearly a second later relief floods through my at a single word, "Hiccup!" Astrid races into the cell her eyes wide. She glances at Toothless the relief in her eyes growing.

"Oh thank Thor." She whispers.

Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs and Snotlout are a second behind her and though they look tired, they're all fine. Behind them, I spot their dragons landing. Hitisha wasn't lying.

Astrid stares at Toothless for a few long seconds, "Is he going to be okay?"

I bite my lip heavily looking at him, "Yes. He will." I assure myself more than her as I stare at him for a moment. Toothless looks up at me, giving a tired wince.

"As lovely as this is," Hitisha says walking into the cell hand on her sword, Toothless immediately growls glaring at her. Hitisha lifts her hands up in a "I surrender" way and I rest a hand on his head.

"No Toothless, it's okay she's…helping us." The word tastes weird on my tongue when describing her.

Hitisha stares at Toothless for a moment warily before waving a hand for us to follow her. I turn to Toothless grabbing his head to support him, "I won't let you go." I whisper. Toothless takes a shaky step forward a pained moan escaping his lips.

Tuffnut inhales sharply as we step into the semi-light. "Whoa, okay T. There is no need to outdo Hiccup over here. Stabbage is good but this, _this_ takes the grand prize on injuries."

"Tuff," Astrid sighs moving to support Toothless, "Do us all a favor and keep your trap shut."

Tuffnut snickers, "How am I supposed to catch anything?"

Ruffnut smacks him.

With slow progress we manage to make it out of the arena and in the surrounding hillside of the docks Hitisha and her small group of men leading us. Toothless's feet give out suddenly and he collapses on the ground. I rest a hand on his head, my insides screaming. Why can't I do something! I want to ease his pain! "I know, I know, it hurts but we've gotta keep moving, bud." I say.

He squeezes his eyes shut, his rapid breathing starting to sound more like pained gasps.

I look up at Astrid helplessly. Her eyebrows are curved in and up in concern and the dragons behind us growl softly. Hitisha turns back towards us resting a hand on my shoulder. I tense from the contact and she pulls away just as quickly staring at Astrid for a moment.

Her eyes sweep around the area, it's dark though, the sun set a long time ago as we trekked through the woods. "Come, we have need to smuggle you off the island and back to Berk before Jink-"

"Before I what?" We all still at the voice and I lift my heads up watching as torches light up in the woods and behind Jink stands an army Hundreds of men. Well, if we weren't going to die before, we are most assuredly are going to now. "Sister?"

Hitisha's eyes narrow with anger at the last word and she turns looking back at her brother storming forward in front of us. "As rightful ruler of this island, the title that I have reclaimed," Hitisha starts, her voice loud but there's a deadly edge to it. "I hereby sentence Jink the Fiendish to death for treason."

Jink blinks in shock. "I'm sorry, _what_? When have I ever-" He starts flabbergasted.

Hitisha's sword is at the tip of his throat though I didn't see her draw it. "Treason for murdering the heir of this island."

Even from my position, I can see Jink pale slightly, "That was years ago!" He argues.

"It is still no better." She says her voice a low growl, "You murdered my son, you killed my husband you are under arrest."

Jink laughs, "Sweetheart, there are none that will stand with you except _them_." He points towards us and my fists clench slightly as Astrid and the other riders grip their reclaimed weapons tighter.

Hitisha tosses her head, a cocky grin on her face, "Is that so?" As the words leave her mouth, more than half of Jink's army draw their swords pointing them out at their comrades or the chief himself.

"What?" Jink says, "You're all traitors!"

"No," Hitisha corrects, "you are."

Jink frowns sister and brother staring each other down. Jink purses his lips angrily, "You wanna fight? I'll bring a war." He draws his sword, "ATTACK!"

I rip Inferno from off of my leg and light the blade stepping in front of Toothless as the other riders form a sort of circle around him. Jink's warriors pull their weapons out and dive towards the rebels as Hitisha twists her double bladed sword smacking it against Jink's. She turns to look back for us, "Make for the docks! Just get out of here!"

Astrid glances at me, as if waiting for an order. I don't know! Toothless won't make it unless we float him there. Our hands are tied here, there's nothing we can do but wait. I shake my head in response to her inquiring look.

Astrid lets out a sudden yelp as a sword swings towards her chest. With an angered growl she elbows her attacker in the face. I take Inferno into both hands as the soldiers rush towards us. Tuffnut lets out a cackle behind me. A sword smacks against mine and I grit my teeth at the sudden pressure but shove back swinging my blade up to clash against the mans.

"Stormfly, spine-shot!" Astrid yells. Blue yellow spikes shoot over our heads towards a few men, tripping them.

I glance back at Toothless, whose shoulders are bleeding badly. I turn my attention back to the battle, Toothless has protected me more than I can count, it's my turn. After a few minutes, the riders turn towards their dragons and start to battle from the air. It's nearly impossible to tell the rebels from the non-rebels but so far, they've been doing a good job.

A sword swings towards my neck and I yelp diving back in surprise looking at Jink's taunting face. "So fitting that you and your dragon can die together." Jink growls before he swings his sword towards my neck again. My eyes widen, if I take a step back forward or dodge in anyway I risk jumping onto Toothless.

I squeeze my eyes shut waiting for the explosion of pain when a clang stops me dead. I open my eyes, and I'm sure that there as wide as they can physically go as I spot the figure that leapt in front of me, blocking the attack.

"Oh, you _don't_ want to do that," My dad assures swinging Jink's sword from his grip. Jink backs up looking just as surprised as I feel.

"S-stoick." Jink stutters an awkward laugh escaping his lips.

"AGHAGHAGHAG!" I twist my head left looking through the woods towards where the docks are my eyes widening with surprise. Dagur and Heather race towards us, axes gleaming in the semi-moonlight looking furious.

Behind them and their army of Berserkers, Mala draws her sword, "FOR HICCUP HADDOCK AND THE DRAGON RIDERS!" She roars. Her warriors give a resounding call before they dive into the battle.

"AARRRGGGH!"

Jink backs up breaking into a run into the battle grabbing a sword. My dad snorts, "Coward." He scoffs. He turns back to me, green eyes soft. "Are you alright, son?"

I nod stiffly, "Y-yeah."

"Good." I blink several times at him.

"Dad?" I ask softly and he nods. "You came…"

He smiles, "Of course I did. Dagur, Mala and Alvin were more than happy to offer assistance."

I double take, "Wait, you brought _Alvin?"_

A loud war cry answers my question. Dagur and Heather race up towards us, panting, "Brother!" Dagur says cheerily, "You're alive." he grabs me in a hug and I gasp. He pulls back smiling, "I was worried, was he alive was he dead."

Heather grins then looks at Toothless the expression slipping off her face. "What happened?"

I tug at my hear with my free hand. "I don't know-he just…"

Heather gets on her knees rubbing Toothless's talon. "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you." I whisper. She nods and my blood rushes cold at a scream. I whip around watching as Astrid smacks into the ground from her fall from Stormfly a man rushing towards her sword drawn.

"ASTRID!"

Dagur shoves me forward, "Go save your girlfriend, we've got Toothless!"

I dive forward towards Astrid in panic throwing Inferno towards the man's feet. He leaps backwards and I dive towards her throwing myself in front of the Hofferson. The man stares at me for a moment before raising his sword. Astrid's axe smacks the weapon from his grip and a few seconds she dives forward pushing the man across the face.

She rips her axe from the ground as I grab Inferno. Astrid looks back at me breathlessly, "Thanks." I nod and turn back to rush towards Toothless spotting the men rushing around us in a sea of war.

Astrid grabs my shoulder, "Are you with me?" I ask and lift up my hand. Astrid grabs the front of my coat and tugs me forward pressing our lips together. It's an earnest kiss, but sweet. Oh, Thor, I love her. Astrid pulls back and we stare at each other for a moment before she grabs her axe with both hands.

"To the end."

I grasp Inferno with both hands the slick sweat around the hilt making it slightly harder. I raise the weapon over my head.

"DEATH OR GLORY!"

000o000

I sit next to Toothless a few hours later, rubbing his talon softly, letting him know that I'm here for him. Jink surrendered and gave up his position to his sister. Hitisha sentenced him to death and we are now in a peace treaty with Tijike.

We got a brief explanation about the Skrill that Toothless fought and how when Hitisha saw the battle it sealed her resolve. It's amazing how much dragon's change people.

My dad said that he had already called the Berserkers, Calandra Cay and the Outcasts to gather for battle and when I disappeared they met up and sailed towards Tijike. I purse my lips slightly and look at Toothless. He's currently leaning against a wall looking like a tired kitten. I'm resting my back against another, refusing to leave his side.

My brain is still struggling to process everything. We won. It's over now. It's all over.

"Hey," Astrid says softly and I look up as she steps into the small room. "How is he?"

I sigh in response, "Heather did what she could, he lost a lot of blood though."

Astrid nods, "Yeah, they were deep." She agrees, "Can I keep you company?"

I shrug, "Sure."

She moves forward taking a seat next to me. We sit in silence for awhile which I'm okay with. I'm not particularly in a conversation mood. Astrid laughs suddenly and I look back at her squinting, "What?"

Astrid smiles, "Sorry it's just...I can't believe that we made it. I didn't think we would."

I roll my eyes and nudge her side, "Have a little hope, milady."

"Of course, Dragon Boy." She pauses, "Wow, you really are _blind_." Her lips twitch and I look at her in surprise.

"I'm sorry, wha-"

She grabs my chin and turns it towards Toothless without even looking at me. My eyes widen as I see his eyes open and staring at me. "Toothless!" I exclaim happiness and relief rushing through me, a laugh escapes my lips and he plops his head into my lap happily. I stroke his scales happily. He's awake. He's going to be okay. I glance at Astrid again, grinning and she returns will be fine, a few weeks without flying and pouting but he'll be okay.

We're all going to be.

Our conversation from the Great Hall flashes through my head, then the arena before Tijike's attack. A small frown tips the edges of my lips before I look back at Astrid grinning.

"I trust you, Astrid."

She smirks, "I know."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! I feel like I've been working on this forever honestly. I know its only been since February but man, its been looong. At least for me. Anyway, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR READING THIS! (sorry for yelling ;))**


	14. AN for guest reviewer

Hey! As a response to a guest whom I can't PM I'm gonna answer right here.

As an account holder, I moderate review's and decide which ones to allow onto the site. I'm _not_ asking for 100% positive reviews, m'kay? Constructive criticism is excellent feedback actually, its helped me quite a bit with writing...but...I really don't consider all caps yelling on how OOC everything is to be...well... _constructive_. Pup, I value your opinion, but bits of the reviews you've left have made me VERY uncomfortable-I know you're thinking that I can't handle negative reviews and that's not it, I've had and dealt with plenty.

And I know that you feel I'm being unfair, but Fanfiction writing is...well...putting it lightly the Hiccup to my Toothless. Being assured dozens of times that the way I'm portraying the HTTYD characters is terrible is...well frustrating.

I wasn't trying to OOC them, honestly it bothered ME and some points, but I was trying to character arc, and in RTTE, Astrid kept Heather from Hiccup, he forgave her, I just wanted to see if I could reverse the roles.

Honestly, I PROMISE you I'm not trying to make you feel bad, the thought of doing that makes me squirm and I realize that bits of my actions have been childish but Fanfiction seriously is very close to my heart. So I'm sorry for any frustration I've caused you, but in the future please make sure your boarding on constructive criticism. And again, I honestly don't expect to have 100% postiveness, but anything that I consider to not be constructive criticism I don't moderate. If you plan on reading anymore of my future stories, keep that in mind, 'kay? ;)

Thank you for your honesty and again I'm sorry if I've offended you. =)

-PKWolf014


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